who have put up at this hotel, would fill pages, and those anxious for such old-time gossip, must refer to S.D.R.’s book, as before-mentioned.  At the close of 1878, the premises were acquired by the “Birmingham Aquarium Co., Limited,” who proposed to erect a handsome concert-room, aquarium, restaurant, &c.  The old building has been considerably altered, and somewhat improved in appearance, but the aquarium and concert-room are, as yet, non est, an Arcade being built instead.

The Midland, New Street.—­One of the modern style of hotels, having over a hundred good bedrooms, besides the necessary complement of public and private sitting and dining rooms, coffee, commercial, smoking and billiard rooms, &c., erected for Mr. W.J.  Clements in 1874; it was sold early in 1876 to a Limited Company, whose capital was fixed at L40,000 in L10 shares.

The Royal, in Temple Row, was erected on the tontine principle in 1772, but was not called more than “The Hotel” for a long time afterwards the word Royal being added in 1805, after His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester slept there (May 4) on his way to Liverpool.  In 1830 the Duchess of Kent, and Princess Victoria (our present Queen) honoured it by their presence.  In June, 1804, the Assembly Room (for very many years the most popular place for meetings of a social character) was enlarged, the proprietors purchasing a small piece of adjoining land for the purpose at a cost of L250, being at the rate of L26,000 per acre, a noteworthy fact as showing the then rapidly increasing value of property in the town.  The portico in front of the hotel was put there in 1837, when the building had to be repaired, in consequence of the kind attentions of the Birmingham Liberals at the time of the general election then just passed.  The whole of the front and main portion of the hotel is now used for the purposes of the Eye Hospital, the Assembly Rooms, &c., being still public.—­Portugal House, in New Street, on the present site of the Colonnade, prior to its being taken for the Excise and Post Offices, was used for hotel purposes, and was also called “The Royal.”

The Stork.—­The Directory of 1800 is the first which contains the name of the Stork Tavern, No. 3, The Square, the host then being Mr. John Bingham, the title of Hotel not being assumed until 1808.  For a few years the one house was sufficient for the accommodation required, but as time progressed it became necessary to enlarge it, and this was accomplished by taking in the adjoining houses, until, at last, the hotel occupied one-fourth of The Square, from the corner of the Minories to the Lower Priory, in which were situated the stables, &c.  It was in one of the houses so annexed to the hotel (No. 1) that Dr. Hector, the friend of Dr. Johnson, resided; and at the rear of another part of the premises in the Coach Yard, there was opened (in 1833) the “The Equitable Labour Exchange.”  The whole of the hotel buildings were sold by auction, Sept. 26, 1881, and quickly razed to the ground, which was required for Corporation Street; but the Stork, like the fabulous Phoenix, has risen from its ashes, and in close proximity to the old site, stands boldly forth as one of the magnificences of that-is-to-be most-magnificent thoroughfare.