Rise of Neville Chamberlain which became the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was initiated. The Lord Mayor persuaded Sir Thomas Beecham to conduct a series of events in Birmingham. The concerts caused Birmingham to be regarded as a cultural centre, and in 1919, the Orchestra was formally founded. Chamberlain established the Birmingham Municipal Bank, the only one of its type in the country, which aimed to encourage savings to pay for the war loan. The bank proved highly successful and lasted until 1976, when it was taken over by Lloyds Bank. Chamberlain was re-elected Lord Mayor in 1916, but he did not complete his
Geoffrey de Neville Geoffrey de Neville Geoffrey de Neville (c.1225) was a 12th-13th century English nobleman who served as King's Chamberlain and Seneschal of Gascony and Périgord. Neville was a younger son of Alan de Neville and a daughter of the lord of Pont Audemer. Neville is first mentioned when King John of England gave him lands in 1204. In 1207, Geoffrey served briefly as a steward of the Household, before he was appointed the King's Chamberlain. He served in 1207 for a short time as Sheriff of Wiltshire and in 1210 he was sent with reinforcements to the Angevin County of Poitou.