author
Thomas T. Harman
A Birmingham printer and writer with a gift for gathering local detail, he is best remembered for helping turn the city’s history into an accessible reference work. His writing preserves the people, places, and civic life of 19th-century Birmingham in a way that still feels vivid and useful.
1 Audiobook
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham A History and Guide, Arranged Alphabetically
by Thomas T. Harman, Walter Showell
About the author
Thomas T. Harman, also known as Thomas Thalric Harman, was a 19th-century British printer, compositor, and writer active in Birmingham. He is chiefly associated with Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham, a substantial historical and reference work that documents the city's institutions, streets, industries, and notable events.
Available records describe him as active in Birmingham in the mid to late 19th century, and cataloging sources identify him with the years 1831 to 1893. His reputation rests less on literary flourish than on careful compilation: he helped preserve a detailed picture of Birmingham during a period of rapid urban and industrial change.
For modern readers, Harman stands out as one of those invaluable local historians whose work becomes more interesting with time. By collecting facts, dates, and everyday civic details, he left behind a rich snapshot of Birmingham as it grew into a major Victorian city.