t in future be called St. Martin's Hotel.
~Hothouses.~--Those at Frogmore, comprising a range of nearly 1,000 feet
of metallic forcing houses, were erected in 1842-3, by Mr. Thomas Clark,
of this town, his manager, Mr. John Jones, being described by the
celebrated Mr. London, as "the best hot-house builder in Britain."
~House and Window Tax.~--See "_Taxes_."
~Howard Street Institute.~--Founded in 1869. The first annual meeting,
for the distribution of prizes, was held in December, 1872. The many
sources for acquiring knowledge now provided at such institutions as the
Midland Institute, the Mason College, &c., have no doubt tended much to
the end, but, considering the amount of good derived by the pupils from
the many classes held in the Howard Street rooms, it is a pity the
Institute should be allowed to drop.
~Humbug.~--The Prince of Humbugs, Phineas Barnum, at the Town Hall,
February 28, 1859, gave _his_ views of what constituted "Humbug." As if
the Brums didn't know.
~Humiliation Days.~--February 25, 1807, was kept here as a day of
fasting and humiliation, as was also September 25, 1832.
~Hundred.~--Birmingham is in the Hundred of Hemlingford.
~Hungary.~--The first meeting in this town to express sympathy with the
Hungarians in their struggle with Austria, was held in the Corn
Exchange, May 23, 1849, and several speakers were in favour of sending
armed help, but no volunteers came forward.
~Hunter's Lane~ and Nursery Terrace take their names from the fact that
Mr. Hunter's nursery grounds and gardens were here situated. The "Lane"
was the old road to Wolverhampton, but has a much older history than
that, as it is believed to have been part of the Icknield Street.
~Hurricanes.~--The late Mr. Thos. Plant, in describing the great storm,
which visited England, on the night of Sunday, 6th January, 1839, and
lasted all next day, said it was the most tremendous hurricane that had
occurred here for fifty years. A large quantity of lead was stripped off
the roof of the Town Hall, the driving force of the gale being so
strong, that the lead was carried a distance of more than sixty yards
before it fell into a warehouse, 'at the back of an ironmonger's shop in
Ann Street.--See "_Storms and Tempests_."
~Hurst Street,~ from Hurst Hill, once a wooded mount (the same being the
derivation of Ravenhurst Street), was originally but a passage way,
leading under an arch at the side of the White Swan in Smallbrook Str
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