Description:Edward James Abbott lived at The Austins on Sandwell Lane, he was the last occupant of the house. This biography is taken from the Handsworth Magazine.
"He was born on November 5, 1835, and is therefore at the present time at that ripe age of manhood from whose future career much more active usefulness may be fairly anticipated and judging from the past may safely be predicted. His birthplace was on Soho Hill and at an early age he was sent to school. His first instructor was the well-known and very successful schoolmaster, Mr. T.C. Lowe, B.A., at that time conducting an establishment in Guest Street. His school education was completed at Thame, in Oxfordshire, where he remained until 1870. His tastes were mathematical and he was especially proficient in arithmetic. In his case, as in so many others, the boy was father of the man; this early bent pointed out the profession in which he was most likely to be successful and he was placed in the office of Mr. Robert Free, in Bennett's Hill, one of the best known accountants of the time. (It is worth being put in a parenthesis to state that Mr. Abbott's own office is now in the same street). We find him next with Messrs. Luke J. and E.M. Sharp, Colmore Row. In 1880 he entered into partnership with Mr Edwin Wignall. He is now the chief partner in the firm of Abbott, Deeley, Hill & Co.
Mr Abbott has taken a very active part in public life. In politics he is an earnest and conscientious Conservative and has done much useful work for the cause in which he firmly believes. As a young man he became a member of the Parliamentary Debating Society. Of this society we read that, there were no mongrel parties in those days - only Conservatives and Radicals - outside the local House of Commons. True, the Ministry changed oft. First one party was in power, then the other; but either way, the debates were highly interesting, not to say lively and conducted with due order and on the same lines as in the case of the genuine chamber at Westminster. Among the prominent hon. Gentlemen of the House were Messrs. Jesse Herbert (speaker), Spooner Neville, Robert Brident, T. Stubbins (barrister-at-law), W. Barton (secretary of the Birmingham Conservative Association), E.J. Abbott and others. The latter gentleman held the distinguished post of Attorney General under the Conservative Government and it followed, of course, he had plenty of work to do - he received a fair share of heckling, but his equanimity of temper was such that the Opposition were never able to get his rag out. His knowledge of law gained during this eventful period of his career was such that probably had he relinquished accountantship and gone to the bar, he would have reached the highest office in the profession.
Mr Abbott was one of the founders of the Midland Conservative Club. This took place in 1883 and from its formation to the present time he has acted as secretary. To his ability and energy much of the success of the Club is due. In this labour of love he has displayed powers of organisation of a very high order. Firm but courteous; great tact, with a fine discrimination of character; with a pleasant urbanity which disarms opposition and conciliates co-operation and support, he has been an ideal secretary for a political club. The principal event, which has marked its history was the contest which Lord Randolph Churchill waged against the Right Hon. John Bright for the Central Division of Birmingham. In this contest Mr Abbott acted for his lordship and it is reported that, on the night before the election, Lord Churchill asked Mr Abbott how matters looked. Mr Abbott showed him a list of promises, doubtfuls and against him. It went to show that he could not possibly win, but the proof of the correctness of the list was shewn by the fact that the promises only fell off to the number of 14. Actual promises up to the night before numbered 4,230; the actual number of votes accorded to Lord Randolph being 4,216. This proves the admirable oversight and management of Mr Abbott in the great contest.
On his marriage with the daughter of the late Mr T. H. Smith, the members of the Midland Conservative Club presented him with a very fine and artistically executed address in book form and a valuable service of plate. Among the subscribers to the presentation we find the names of Lord Randolph Churchill, Sir Alfred Gooch, Bart; F.A. Bosanquet, Esq., Q.C., M.P.; P.A. Muntz, Esq., M.P.; Sir Richard Temple, Bart. This is not the only presentation which Mr Abbott has had the pleasure of receiving. Mainly through his personal efforts in 1879, the bazaar held in aid of the Vicarage Building Fund of St. Michael's realised the splendid sum of £1,150.19s 6d and, in recognition of his services, he was presented with a valuable gold watch by the Committee and other members of the Church.
It is very pleasant to listen to Mr Abbott relate some of his experiences in political life. The once famous, but now almost forgotten Aston Riots - a subject at the time of such importance as to produce a scene in the House of Commons. One chronicler
of this event says it is impossible not to smile as fact after fact was recounted by Mr Abbott at the expense of the Conservative [his own] party. The shameful scene occurred at a meeting in the Lower Grounds, Aston, on October 13th, 1889, at which Sir Stafford Northcote was to have been the principal speaker; but the place was broken into and the platform taken possession of by the rioters. Mr Abbott's description of the entrance of the bullet-headed gentleman who occupied the reserved seats and indeed, nearly the whole of the other parts of the hall, causing himself and the other members of the Committee no little surprise that these reserved seat-holders belonged to the good old Conservative party was very diverting and more so when he further described the sudden attack on the platform, the poor reporters being upset all over the place. Then the fight (some may say fun) began. Poor Sir Stafford Northcote - who was to have been the principal speaker - had to be escorted from the platform for fear of bodily injury. Among those who shielded him were the late gallant and deeply regretted Colonel Burnaby, the late Marquess of Hertford, the Hon. A.C.G Calthorpe and Mr E. J. Abbott. It was a sad display of violence and deserves the censure of all parties. A portion of the boundary wall was broken down. The furniture in the building was destroyed - in fact, the rioters had matters all their own way and hence the havoc done. As to the police, they were worse than useless and although an extra number had been sent out to keep order, the mob held them in derision.
One of the most significant events in Mr Abbott's life occurred so lately as December 1804. This was the contest for seats in the Handsworth District Council. The Council consists of fifteen seats and for these there were no fewer than twenty-one candidates. Of these eleven were members of the old Local Board; five new Conservative candidates and five Independents. Mr Abbott was one of the Conservative five and the whole number were elected by large majorities, Mr Abbott having the honour of being returned at the head of the poll. He obtained 1,600 votes, being 569 votes more than the lowest elected member. This affords ample proof of his popularity and of the high respect in which he is held by the inhabitants of the place of which he is a native, in which his life has been passed and who consequently know him best and who are the best able to appreciate his merits.
Mr Abbott's residence is The Austins; to which he removed from The Uplands only a year or two ago. To him and his family everyone will wish health and well-being for many years to come".