rch
extension in Birmingham; he was also the chief promoter of the Church of
England Cemetery, and the handsome church of St. Michael, which stands
in the Cemetery grounds, was largely due to his efforts. In polities Mr.
Aston was a staunch Conservative, and was one of the trustees of the
once notable Constitutional Association.

_Attwood_.--The foremost name of the days of Reform, when the voice of
Liberal Birmingham made itself heard through its leaders was that of
Thomas Attwood. A native of Salop, born Oct. 6, 1783, he became a
resident here soon after coming of age, having joined Messrs. Spooner's
Bank, thence and afterwards known as Spooner and Attwood's. At the early
age of 28 he was chosen High Bailiff, and soon made his mark by opposing
the renewal of the East India Co.'s charter, and by his exertions to
obtain the withdrawal of the "Orders in Council," which in 1812, had
paralysed the trade of the country with America. The part he took in the
great Reform meetings, his triumphant reception after the passing of the
Bill, and his being sent to Parliament as one of the first
representatives for the borough, are matters which have been too many
times dilated upon to need recapitulation. Mr. Attwood had peculiar
views on the currency question, and pertinaciously pressing them on his
fellow members in the House of Commons he was not liked, and only held
his seat until the end of Dec., 1839, the last prominent act of his
political life being the presentation of a monster Chartist petition in
the previous June. He afterwards retired into private life, ultimately
dying at Malvern, March 6 1856, being then 73 years of age. Charles
Attwood, a brother, but who took less part in politics, retiring from
the Political Union when he thought Thomas and his friends were verging
on the precipice of revolution, was well known in the north of England
iron and steel trade. He died Feb. 24, 1875, in his 84th year. Another
brother Benjamin, who left politics alone, died Nov. 22, 1874, aged 80.
No greater contrast could possibly be drawn than that shown in the
career of these three gentlemen. The youngest brother who industriously
attended to his business till he had acquired a competent fortune, also
inherited enormous wealth from a nephew, and after his death he was
proved to have been the long un-known but much sought after anonymous
donor of the L1,000 notes so continuously acknowledged in the _Times_ as
having been sent to London