by his brother, Sir Charles, with whom the title expired (March 12, 1782), the principal estates going with his daughter and only child, to the Bracebridge family, as well as a dowry of L20,000.  In 1817, an Act of Parliament was obtained for the settlement and part disposal of the whole of the property of this time-honoured and wealthy family—­the total acreage being 8,914a. 2r. 23p, and the then annual rental L16,557 Os. 9d.—­the Aston estate alone extending from Prospect Row to beyond Erdington Hall, and from Nechells and Saltley to the Custard House and Hay Mill Brook.  Several claims have been put forward by collateral branches, both to the title and estates, but the latter were finally disposed of in 1849, when counsel’s opinion was given in favour of the settlements made by Sir Lister Holte, which enabled the property to be disposed of.  The claimants to the title have not yet proved their title thereto, sundry registers and certificates of ancient baptisms and marriages being still wanting.

Duddeston Ward Hall.—­The name tells what it is for.  The first stone was laid Dec. 15, 1877; it was opened June 1, 1878; will seat about 300, and cost L3,500, which was found by a limited Co.

Dungeon.—­This very appropriate name was given to the old gaol formerly existing in Peck Lane.  A writer, in 1802, described it as a shocking place, the establishment consisting of one day room, two underground dungeons (in which sometimes half-a-dozen persons had to sleep), and six or seven night-rooms, some of them constructed out of the Gaoler’s stables.  The prisoners were allowed 4d. per day for bread and cheese, which they had to buy from the keeper, who, having a beer license, allowed outsiders to drink with his lodgers.  This, and the fact that there was but one day room for males and females alike, leaves but little to be imagined as to its horrible, filthy condition.  Those who could afford to pay 2s. 6d. a week were allowed a bed in the gaoler’s house, but had to put up with being chained by each wrist to the sides of the bedsteads all night, and thus forced to lie on their backs.  The poor wretches pigged it in straw on the floors of the night rooms.  See also “Gaols” and “Prisons.”

Dwarfs.—­The first note we have of the visit here of one of these curiosities of mankind is that of Count Borulawski, in 1783:  though but 39 inches high it is recorded that he had a sister who could stand under his arm.  The next little one, Manetta Stocker, a native of Austria, came here in 1819, and remained with us, there being a tombstone in St. Philip’s churchyard bearing this inscription:—­

In Memory of MANETTA STOCKER, Who quitted this life the fourth day of May, 1819, at the age of thirty-nine years.  The smallest woman in this kingdom, and one of the most accomplished.  She was not more than thirty-three inches high.  She was a native of Austria.

General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton) was exhibited