y and Princip Streets, was laid on Easter Monday, 1841, by General
(then Colonel) Perronet Thompson. The cost of the building was L2,400,
and, as its name implies, it was intended, and for a short time used, as
a place for assemblies, balls, and other public purposes. Like a number
of other "institutions for the people," it came to grief, and has long
been nothing more than a warehouse.

~Pershore Road~ was laid out in 1825.

~Perry Barr.~--Three miles from Birmingham, on the road to Lichfield, is
one of the ancient places that can claim a note in Domesday. Prior to
the eighteenth century there had been a wooden bridge over the Tame, the
present curiously-built stone erection, with its recesses to protect the
wayfarers from contact with crossing vehicles, being put up in 1711-12
by Sir Henry Gough, who received L200 from the county, and contributions
from the neighbouring parishes, towards the cost. The date of the early
church is unknown, the present one being built and endowed by Squire
Gough in 1832. Like other suburbs Perry Barr bids fair to become little
more than an offshoot to Birmingham, the road thereto fast filling up
with villa and other residences, while churches, chapels, and schools
may be seen on all hands. The Literary Institute, built in 1874, at a
cost of L2,000, contains reading and class rooms, lecture hall, &c.,
while not far off is a station on the L. and N.W. line. Ferry Hall, the
seat of the Hon. A.C.G. Calthorpe, has been the home of the Lords of the
Manor for many generations.

~Pest and Plague.~--The year 1665 is generally given as the date of "the
great plague" being here; but the register of St. Martin's Church does
not record any extraordinary mortality in that year. In some of the
"news sheets" of the 17th century a note has been met with (dated Sept.
28, 1631), in which the Justices of the Peace inform the Sheriff that
"the plague had broken out in Deritend, in the parish of Aston, and
spread far more dangerously into Birmingham, a great market town." St.
Martin's registers of burials are missing from 1631 to 1655, and those
of Aston are not get-at-able, and as the latter would record the deaths
in Deritend, there does not appear any certain data to go upon, except
that the plague was not a casual visitor, having visited Coventry in
1603 and 1625, Tamworth in 1606 and 1625, and Worcester in 1825 and
1645, the date generally given (1665) being that of the year when the
most deaths 68,596