ne was Sheriff _(vice-comes)_ and through his son Turchill, who
came to be Earl of Warwick, the Ardens and the Bracebridges trace their
descent from the old Saxon kings, Alwyne's mother being sister to
Leofric, III., Earl of Mercia. Whether Alwyne thrived on his unearned
increment or not, the politicians of the time have not told us, but the
possessions that came to him by the Dano-Saxon marriage of his parents
seems to have been rather extensive, as it is written that he owned not
only the manor of Birmingham, but also Halesowen, Escelie, Hagley, and
Swinford in Wirecescire (Worcestershire), Great Barr, Handsworth, Penn,
Rushall and Walsall, in Staffordshire, as well as Aston, Witton,
Erdington, and Edgbaston. The modern name of Allen is deducible from
Alwyne, and the bearers thereof, if so inclined, may thus be enabled to
also claim a kingly descent, and much good may it do them.

_Underwood_, Thomas.--The first printer to introduce the art of
lithography into Birmingham, and he is also credited with being the
discoverer of chromo-litho, and the first to publish coloured almanacks
and calendars. He did much to foster the taste for art, but will
probably be most generally recollected by the number of views of old
Birmingham and reproductions of pictures and maps of local interest that
he published. Mr. Underwood died March 14, 1882, in his 73rd year.

_Van Wart_.--Henry Van Wart, was born near New York, Sept. 25, 1783, and
took up his abode with us in 1808. By birth an American, by descent a
Dutchman, he became a Brum through being naturalised by special Act of
Parliament, and for nearly seventy years was one of our principal
merchants. He was also one of the first Aldermen chosen for the borough.
Died Feb. 15, 1873, in his 90th year.

_Ward_.--Humble Ward, son of Charles I.'s jeweller, who married the
daughter of the Earl of Dudley, was created Baron Ward of Birmingham.
Their son Edward thus came to the title of Lord Dudley and Ward in 1697.

_Warren_.--Thomas Warren was a well-known local bookseller of the last
century. He joined Wyatt and Paul in their endeavours to establish the
Cotton Spinning Mill, putting L1,000 into the speculation, which
unfortunately landed him in bankruptcy. He afterwards became an
auctioneer, and in 1788 had the pleasure of selling the machinery of the
mill in which forty years previous his money had been lost.

_Watt_, James, was born at Greenock, Jan. 19, 1736, and (if we are to
credi