Jennens.—­It is almost certain that the “Great Jennens (or Jennings) Case,” has taken up more time in our law courts than any other cause brought before the judges.  Charles Dickens is supposed to have had some little knowledge of it, and to have modelled his “Jarndyce v.  Jarndyce” in “Bleak House” therefrom.  It has a local interest, inasmuch as several members of the family lived, prospered, and died here, and, in addition, a fair proportion of the property so long disputed, is here situated.  The first of the name we hear of as residing in Birmingham was William Jennens, who died in 1602.  His son John became a well-to-do ironmonger, dying in 1653.  One of John’s sons, Humphrey, also waxed rich, and became possessed of considerable estate, having at one time, it is said, no less a personage than Lord Conway as “game-keeper” over a portion of his Warwickshire property.  Probably the meaning was that his lordship rented the shooting.  Ultimately, although every branch of the family were tolerably prolific, the bulk of the garnered wealth was concentrated in the hands of William Jennings, bachelor, who died at Acton Place in 1798, at the age of 98, though some have said he was 103.  His landed property was calculated to be worth L650,000; in Stock and Shares he held L270,000; at his bankers, in cash and dividends due, there were L247,000; while at his several houses, after his death, they found close upon L20,000 in bank notes, and more than that in gold.  Dying intestate, his property was administered to by Lady Andover, and William Lygon, Esq., who claimed to be next of kin descended from Humphrey Jennings, of this town.  Greatest part of the property was claimed by these branches, and several noble families were enriched who, it is said, were never entitled to anything.  The Curzon family came in for a share, and hence the connection of Earl Howe and others with this town.  The collaterals and their descendants have, for generations, been fighting for shares, alleging all kinds of fraud and malfeasance on the part of the present holders and their predecessors, but the claimants have increased and multiplied to such an extent, that if it were possible for them to recover the whole of the twelve million pounds they say the property is now worth, it would, when divided, give but small fortunes to any of them.  A meeting of the little army of claimants was held at the Temperance Hall, March 2, 1875, and there have been several attempts, notwithstanding the many previous adverse decisions, to re-open the battle for the pelf, no less than a quarter of a million, it is believed, having already been uselessly spent in that way.

Jennen’s Row is named after the above family.

Jewellery.—­See “Trades.”