MALTING

The manufacture of ale is probably one of the most venerable occupations in the borough, for we read of alehouses upwards of a thousand years ago. Fostered by the Normans, the trade grew into still greater importance, and, till a recent period, Nottingham supplied the whole of the midland counties, and even the remote districts of the north of England with malt and ale. After the civil war many new brewhouses were built, and all the best barley grown in the vale of Belvoir and the adjacent country was converted at Nottingham into malt.

IRON

Ere the cloth manufacture became defunct the grim sons of Vulcan were at work in Nottingham, where they found plenty of fuel and iron close at hand. They at first made articles of harness and husbandry; and the names of certain streets indicate that the operations were extensive. The smith ceased to be an important personage about the middle of the eighteenth century. Since that period, however, there have been many ingenious framesmiths. The spurriers died out nearly two centuries ago. At one time the town was noted for its hardware manufactures. Hence arose the proverbial couplet, recorded by Fuller:

A large number of smiths were employed in making bridles, ploughs, harrows, and other agricultural implements. Bridesmith gate, Smithy row, and Girdlesmith gate, resounded from morn to night with the deafening forge-hammer. Smith-work of a far more ingenious character is now carried on in connexion with the staple trades of the borough. The excellence of workmanship in the delicate and complicated machiney used in the manufacture of land and hosiery goods have secured for the Nottingham artisan a world-wide reputation.

BELL CASTING

Bell casting was practised here at an early date. TATHAM's small bell business was prosecuted for sixty years.

FOUNDRIES

There have been two brass foundries in Castle gate; a small iron foundry was erected in 1773, in Narrow marsh; an iron foundry, in Granby street, in 1803, was worked by one of the most complete steam-engines then in the kingdom, of five-horse power. There are several excellent iron foundries at present in operation.

TRADES AND TRADESMEN IN THE OLDEN TIME

In 1641 there were four apothecaries in Nottingham; in 1750 there were five; number of attorneys, none in 1641, fifteen in 1750; bakers, twenty-two in 1641, forty in 1750. In 1750 there were six physicians, though one could hardly earn a genteel livelihood. In 1740 there were two wine merchants and three retail vaults, besides which all the "great inns" sold wine. What happy times were those ! when lawyers were scarcely known, and when the butcher and the baker were more familiar than the druggist and the doctor. In 1739 the proportion of public-houses to the total number houses was one in seventeen; now the proportion is less than one in twenty four. The forty malting establishments have become reduced to twenty five. Of the three distilleries, which then existed, not one remains. There were forty-two bakers in 1750; now ninety tradesmen are engaged in the bread and flour business: thus, while the population has increased 700 per cent. the bakers have only increased 100 per cent. during the century. Butchers have risen from 65 to 200; physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, and druggists from seventeen to seventy-two; lawyers from fifteen to fifty-three.

Heavy good were, even so late as thirty years ago, (1823), brought to Nottingham from London by sea. Till the close of the seventeenth century the shopkeepers depended wholly on the great Martinmas fair, at Lenton, founded by Henry I., which lasted for eight days. Here every species of goods were sold by Londoners and others. When this system was changed a merchant, about to visit the metropolis, made his will and took a formal leave of all his relations. The fair at Lenton gradually died away as the number of wholesale dealers increased.

The Long row and Bridlesmith gate were, a century ago, the chief places of business. The shops were mostly open in front, so that the purchaser had merely to halt, and the merchant and his goods were before him. Glazed windows were not fashionable, and where they did exist the panes were tiny and opaque. Modern competition and its evils were unknown; the tailer did not keep a "tame poet" on the premises to make lugubrious ditties for the newspapers; bankruptcies were rare; and he who sold at a cheaper rate than his neighbour was discountenanced as a mean and dishonourable knave.

SHOEMAKING

The Nottingham company of cordwainers is of long standing. The corportation formerly received from the company the sum of 20s.* annually, to uphold certain restrictions. In 1747 the company was knocked on the head by an adverse law suit, and became defunct.

• Old British money - 12 pennies to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound - therefore 240 pennies to the pound. One guinea was a sum equalling - one pound and one shilling. There were four crowns and eight half crowns in a pound. There were 10 florins in a pound. There were many alternate names for the money. A three penny coin was called a threepenny bit, a six penny coin was called a tanner and a shilling was called a bob.

TANNING

The tanners were at one time numerous, wealthy, and powerful. Their prosperity extended over two hundred years. In the reign of Henry VIII., the mayor and burgesses bound themselves to pay to the tanners of Nottingham, for ever, an annuity of forty shillings. The tanners of this town were famous for producing the best upper leathers for boots and shoes, for harness, and for covering coaches and chaises. In 1641 the masters of the trade numbered thirty-six; in 1738, three. The downfall of the business was by some attributed to the scarcity of bark in the neighbourhood; by others, to the tanners' combination to regulate the price of hides and skins. On September 5^th, 1838, part of the materials of the ancient Tanners' Hall, in Narrow marsh, were sold in the Market place. Mr. HENSHAW, in 1808, was the last master.

GLASS, POTTERY AND LEAD

There were, at one period, three glass-houses in Nottingham. One, at the east end of Sneinton street, was of very large dimensions. Another was situated in Glasshouse street. They ceased operations in the middle of the eighteenth century. Two potteries were in existence till near fifty years ogo. One stood at the east side of Milton street; the other, near the bottom of Beck lane. The proprietors were, however, unable to compete with the potters of Staffordshire. Formerly, too, there was a lead manufactory, at the south-west end of Broad marsh, on the site now occupied by part of Carrington street. There is, at the present time, an extensive white-lead manufactory in the town.

COAL AND BRICK

The coal trade was originated by the noble family of Middleton, who thus enhanced the value of their own estates and promoted the growth of the neighbouring town. In 1738 a ton of coals, costing £1 3s. 0d., besides carriage to London, was sold in Nottingham at ten shillings.

A hundred and fifty years ago, strong potter's clay and limestone was known to abound at Wollaton.

In 1738 several brick-kilns had been set up in the vicinity; common bricks were then sold at ten shillings per thousand, and dressed bricks at seventeen shillings. Brick-making, as carried on in the neighbourhood up till a recent period, was a very rude occupation. The yards on Mapperley hill were only at work in the summer; in winter they were abandoned. The first pair of rollers for crushing the clay were set up in the year 1820, by Mr. Nathan BRADSHAW, who at that time occupied three yards on the Mapperley road. A few years afterwards attempts were made to manufacture bricks in winter as well as summer; and this, after many attempts, was effected by introducing flues under the floor of the drying sheds. The kilns till a recent date were of a very primitive form, and were chiefly open, with from five to eight "mouths" on the side for burning. Lately they have been constructed with as many as twenty "mouths." The manufacture of bricks was for some years in a very low state, but when the Inclosure bill was passed, and the brick duty abolished, prosperity returned. At the present time there are many new sheds of ample size, and others of still greater dimensions are being built. Steam machinery is about to be introduced. The bricks are greatly improved in complexion and quality. The brick-yards in operation throughout the whole of last year, and the estimated production of each, were as follows: Mr. William BURGASS, two yards at Carlton hill, and two at Mapperley; present rate of production, about six million annually. Mr. Thomas NORTH, yards at Cinder hill, Basford parish; six millions. Messrs. Thomas and Joseph TERRY, two yards at Carlton hill; three millions. Mr. Moses WOOD, architect, one yard on Carlton road; one million-and-a-half. Mr. John DRURY, Carlton road; five or six hundred thousand. Mr. Joseph HORNBUCKLE, Carlton road; a million-and-a-half. Messrs. CARTLEDGE and GODDARD , Mapperley hill; a million-and-a-half. From these and other yards situated at a greater distance it is estimated that in the last few years there have been annually brought into Nottingham and its suburbs, five million of bricks. This quantity, however, has not met the demand, and in consequence several new yards have been opened. These belong to Mr. William WHITEHEAD, who has three large yards on Beacon hill, which are most admirably managed, and produce bricks of a very superior quality; Messrs. HOPKIN and Co., who have a yard on Carlton hill; Mr. John SCATTERGOOD, who has a yard at the bottom of Goosewong hill; Mr. WHITCHURCH, druggist, who has a yard in Will Close, St. Ann's Well road; Mr. Edward WATTS, who has a yard near the Field-houses, in the same road; and Mr. William SMITH, Mapperly. A new yard has been opened, near the Asylum, Carlton road, under the management of Mr. DRURY. Messrs. BAILEY and SHAW, of Lenton, the most extensive fellmongers of England, have purchased a large tract of clay-land at Arnold, on which they are introducing machines for brickmaking. A company under the names of Messrs. GRIPPER and Co., have purchased extensive pieces of land on the Mapperly hill, where gigantic preparations for brick and tile manufacture are being made.

MISCELLANEOUS

The following include the more prominent works of an isolated character in Nottingham: a marble work, for sawing and polishing marble by the aid of steam power; and a steam confectionary manufactory. There are thirty windmills in the vicinity. In 1805 an ingenious local mechanic named BYWATER invented a machine for the clothing of windmill sails while in motion, according to the power of the wind. He obtained a patent, and the discovery was applied to the sails of vessels. The inventor, unfortunately, was rewarded with little more than fame. There are now eleven curriers in the town.