thousand workmen.  Many more than that number, however, were afterwards employed on the grounds, and for long years Soho House, as Boulton’s residence was called, was the resort of lords and ladies, princes and philosophers, savants and students, to a far greater extent than many of the European courts.  Of this home of the steam engine, and the birthplace of inventions too numerous to count, there is now no vestige left, the foundry being removed to Smethwick in 1848, the celebrated Mint, with the warehouses and shopping, being cleared out early in 1850, and the walls razed to the ground in 1853.

Soho Hill.—­The top is 177ft. higher than at Hockley Bridge, the foot of the hill.

Soho Pool was formed by the make of an embankment (1756-60) impounding the waters of Hockley brook, and for some years after the demolition of the Soho Works it was a favourite place for boating, &c..  The pool was drained in 1866, and, having been filled up, its site will ere long be covered with streets of houses.

Solihull.—­This very pleasant village, but a few miles distant, could boast of a Free School for its children at a very early date, for we read of the buildings being repaired in 1573.  In 1882 the School was rebuilt, at a cost of about L5,700, and its endowments, some of which were given in the reign of Richard II., are yearly becoming of greater value as building progresses.  The present population is nearly 6,000, the rateable value of property being L45,202, from an area of 12,000 acres.  The parishes in the Union comprise Baddesley, Balsall, Barston, Bushwood, Elmdon, Knowle, Lapworth, Nuthurst, Packwood, Solihull, Tanworth, and Yardley, including an area of 46,302 acres, a population of 21,000, with a rateable value amounting to L157,000.

Spanish Armada.—­The nobility and gentry of this and adjoining counties, at the time of the threatened invasion by the Spaniards, contributed sums of money sufficient to hire and equip no less than 43 ships of war.  Among the names we note the following local subscribers of L25 each:—­William Kinge and William Collmer (Colmore), of Burmingham; Richard Middlemore, Edgbaston; Mrs. Margarett Knowlys, Nuneton; Gabriell Powltney, Knowle; Richard Corbett, Meryden, &c.

Speaking Stile Walk.—­In a footpath leading from Holloway Head to Edgbaston Church, there was a stile at a spot from which an exceedingly clear echo, could be raised, and the footpath being partly thrown into a lane the latter became “Speaking Stile Lane.”  The short street or road at present existing preserves the name, but that is all, the echo, the stile, and the footpath having vanished long, long ago.

Spelling Bee.—­The first “Spelling Bee” held in Birmingham took place January 17th, 1876.  Like many other Yankee notions, it did not thrive here, and the humming of those bees soon ceased.