Birmingham pen trade same time Osmiroid International had a large production plant in the city. Birmingham pen trade The Birmingham pen trade evolved in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter and its surrounding area in the 19th century; for many years, the city was the centre of the world's pen trade. In Newhall Street, John Mitchell manufactured pens; he pioneered mass production of steel pens (prior to this, the quill pen was the most common form of writing instrument). Mitchells are credited as being the first manufacturers to use machines to cut pen nibs, greatly speeding up the process. John's brother William later set up
Historic fire stations of Birmingham, Alabama city purchased its first fire engine in 1873 after a large fire affected the city. The modern fire department was founded in 1885 with two stations. It had grown to employ 21 firemen and 15 horses by 1890. During the early 20th century, although Birmingham spent less money per capita on services than similarly-sized Southern cities, it spent more on fire and education. The insistence on first-class fire protection came from downtown business leaders; better fire coverage kept their insurance rates low. In 1910 Birmingham annexed a number of suburban towns, more than doubling the city's population. Soon after, residents