CELEBRATIONS IN DUDLEY YESTERDAY.
Yesterday (Tuesday) was a day specially set apart by the inhabitants of Dudley—having first duly consulted his lordship’s convenience—for celebrating in some marked and public manner the elevation of Lord Ward, who is so intimately connected with the town, to the dignity and position of Earl of Dudley, a title which one of his ancestors had previously held. The day seemed to be observed as a day of festivity and general rejoicing, and the ordinary avocations of life appeared to be in a great degree suspended. From an early hour the bells of the various churches in the locality rang out a merry peal, the streets were unusually thronged with pedestrians, flags floated in the breeze from some of the houses, and the universal subject of conversation was the Earl of Dudley and his probable movements during the day. As we have already noticed in these columns the distribution of about four thousand pounds weight of beef, which the liberality of his lordship had provided, it is unnecessary to state more now than the fact that the beef was distributed among the poor on Monday last in pieces weighing 4lbs. each, the clergymen and ministers of various denominations in the town acting as the almoners of the noble Earl’s bounty. The colliers on the Dudley estate were presented with a day’s pay yesterday, in harmony with the practice adopted towards their fellow workmen at Brierley Hill on the preceding day, and we believe that Dudley was not the only place that participated in the distribution of beef. Five oxen were slaughtered for Dudley—one being apportioned to the Kate’s Hill district, one to Netherton, one to Wolverhampton Street, and two to High Street. One or two bands of music paraded the streets of the town yesterday, and about mid-day everyone was on the tiptoe of expectation, and anxious to see his lordship pass through the streets on his way to the Tipton New Road, where the ceremony of
LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE BLIND ASYLUM
was to take place. The asylum is intended by his lordship for the reception of those men in his employ who have lost their sight through working in the limestone caverns, which underlie the Castle Hill and grounds. The plan and “bird’s-eye view” of the institution show that it is intended to accommodate twenty-six families, each family being furnished with a suite of five rooms and out-houses. There will also be an infants’, boys’, and girls’ school, capable of accommodating together about 150 children. A schoolmaster’s residence will be attached to the schools, and at a little distance a chapel and minister’s house will be erected. The chapel will be consecrated by the Bishop of the diocese when completed, and the noble Earl will endow it from his own private purse. A laundry, sick ward, and convenience for a surgeon, form part of the scheme, and the sanitary arrangements are of a most perfect character. The block of buildings occupy three sides of a quadrangle, and the whole is enclosed by a low wall and ornamental palisadings, the entrance being through a neat iron gateway, to which is attached a porter’s lodge. There is a separate entrance to the church on the south side of the Asylum. In the centre of the east side is a tower, in which is constructed a large tank for supplying the various houses with water, the idea being that the tank shall be supplied by the manual labour of the blind inmates, a pump being placed over a conduit in the centre of the ground for that purpose. Under such an arrangement it is contemplated that an ample supply of water will always be at hand for every sanitary and culinary purpose. The centre of the quadrangle is laid out as a greensward, with footpaths intersecting it, and in the rear about two acres of land are devoted to the purposes of a kitchen and flower garden. The South Staffordshire Railway runs along a short distance behind the block of buildings, and the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway passes in front, midway between the Asylum and the Castle Hill. The new turnpike road from Dudley to Tipton is also closely contiguous. The material used in the erection of the various buildings is red and white sandstone, supplied from his lordship’s quarries, and the style of architecture is the early decorated Gothic. The whole of the expense of the erection and fitting-up will be borne by his lordship, and the asylum will, when complete, form another memento of the princely munificence for which he is so deservedly celebrated. About twelve o’clock yesterday his lordship arrived upon the ground, in company with the Dowager Lady Ward and the Hon. Mrs. Claughton and party. Among other ladies and gentlemen also present at the ceremony were the Rev. D. Melville and party; Rev. Dr. Browne, Vicar of Dudley; Mrs. E. F. Smith, Mrs. S. D. Fereday, Miss Roberts, T. Tinsley, Esq., (Mayor of Dudley), Mr. E. Hollier, (ex-Mayor), Mr. C. F. G. Clark (High Bailiff) &c. The ceremonial commenced by the noble earl placing in the cavity of the stone prepared for its reception a glass bottle containing a copy of the Gazette in which he was declared to have been created an earl, and also the current coins of the realm. His lordship then proceeded to read the following inscription, which was engraved on a brass plate placed over the cavity: “The corner stone of this building, erected for the collecting together under one roof, and for the comfort and consolation of those who have lost their eyesight in the working of the Dudley limestone caverns, was laid by the Earl of Dudley, of Dudley Castle, William Baron Ward, of Birmingham, the 28th day of February, 1860. Richard Smith, mine agent of the Dudley estates, to whose suggestion this institution owes its origin. William Bourne, architect; J. Hartland, W. Walker, builders. Dimidium cœpti qui bene cœpit habet.” The noble Earl then received a silver trowel from the Dowager Lady Ward, to whom it had been first presented, and the stone having been lowered to its final resting place, the customary formalities were gone through. It may be incidentally mentioned, that, at the request of a bystander a medal, commemorative of the erection of St. Thomas’s Church, was also placed with the coins. The inscription on the plate was surmounted by the Dudley arms. After the lowering of the stone the Rev. Dr. Browne offered up prayer, and subsequently the Earl of Dudley addressed the assembled crowd. He commenced his remarks by reminding those present that although they had just seen the corner stone of the building laid the work had not to be begun, as the foundation has been laid for some time past, and everything would now go on rapidly towards completion. It gave him the greatest possible pleasure that he was enabled on an occasion like that—so soon after his accession to an earldom—to lay the foundation stone of a building which it was his prayer would last till the sons and grandsons of those by whom it would be tenanted should have passed away. They all knew what the building was intended for, but he would add one other word. Although a large employer of labour like himself was bound as a matter of duty to provide for the maintenance of those who by a dispensation of Providence were deprived of their eyesight while in his employ, the contemplated benefits of the asylum would extend further than that. In that building they might meet those with whom they had been in the habit of associating, and one would be enabled to comfort the other, and add consolation to consolation as long as life should last—that inward consolation which was so necessary to those who had lost their outward sight, and therefore could not look upon the beauties of earth. The inmates would thus feel great pleasure in knowing that those who formerly were engaged with them in the same occupation were sitting around them, praying with them, and reciprocating the same sentiments. Their wives—to whom they were bound by the common natural tie—and their children—in whom their happiness must to a great extent be centred—would also be near them, and around them, and would grow up among acquaintances who, becoming friends, would prove invaluable upon starting in life, as they often gave a man a better chance of taking his proper position in society. The noble Earl went on to say that he took no credit to himself for suggesting such an institution, as it was not his due. If he carried the work out it would be because, being by the gift of Providence the possessor of such large estates, he felt it to be his duty to look after those who suffered in his interests. But the idea did not originate with him, but with a gentleman who, day by day and week by week, saw with his own eyes what escaped his lordship’s—the suffering and misery of those who lost their sight. The suggestion was made by a man well known and highly respected in this district, where he was born, and where he had ever maintained an unspotted name of honour and integrity of purpose. That gentleman having suggested the work, he (the noble Earl) was bound to carry it out, although not perhaps without some jealousy, on account of not having been the first to originate it. After expressing a hope that in a few months they would see the building rise in all its fair proportions, and that the day would soon arrive when they should see those for whom the building was intended marching in to take possession of it, his lordship concluded amid loud and continued cheers. Three cheers were also given for Lady Ward, the Rev. Dr Browne, and R. Smith, Esq. A number of copies of a view of the projected building, which was dedicated to the last-named gentleman, were then distributed by the noble Earl, and the assembly soon afterwards dispersed.
THE BANQUET.
Of the banquet in the evening to the noble Earl we can say nothing, except that we believe about 120 sat down. The Dinner Committee, in making their arrangements, seem to have ignored the existence of such an institution as the Press, and it was not till all the tickets were sold, and all the available space occupied, that they appear to have entertained the idea that probably the public would like to know something about their proceedings. Accordingly, in their magnanimity, they arranged that provision should be made in some room “downstairs,” where the reporters might eat and drink by themselves, and await the summons to “go up higher,” which happy period, it is supposed, would have arrived when the cloth was withdrawn, and the serious part of the business of the evening commenced. However, the representatives of the “fourth estate” present did not feel inclined to submit to such unusual indignities. In consequence of these proceedings of the committee our readers are deprived of a report of the speeches made at the banquet; but we may perhaps be allowed to remark that such a mode of conducting what is really public business, is alike disrespectful to the noble Earl they intended to congratulate, and insulting to every person who has a just idea of the dignity of the press. If the committee had informed us that the right of a reporter to be present was only purchaseable, we should, for the sake of our readers, have taken care that this right was secured for our representative.—Daily Post.
June 18th, 1860. The Old Town Hall, which had stood between two and three centuries in the Market Place, Dudley, was doomed to destruction, and workmen commenced pulling it down this day. The noble Earl of Dudley had previously signified his intention to erect a handsome Italian Fountain on the site, which now adorns our Market Place.
Died, October 14th, 1860, Mr. Thomas Rudd, Jeweller and Watchmaker, Market Place, after a very protracted illness, brought on by an accident in his gig. Aged 52 years.
THE COURT LEET.
Oct. 26th, 1860. This ancient Court for the barony of Dudley was held yesterday at the Hotel. There were present in addition to J. H. Bourne, Esq., (Steward of the Manor), S. Bourne, Esq., G. Taylor, Esq., T. Tinsley, Esq. (Mayor), and C. F. G. Clark, Esq. (High Bailiff), Messrs. S. Fereday, J. Jordan, Grainger, Hollier, Finch, Williscroft, E. Wood, W. Sheppard, Smart, S. Cook, Marsh, Timmins, Bowen, Minty, Watkins, Houghton, W. C. Wood, Saml. Rudge, S. Price, Patterson, D. Lloyd, D. Jordan, G. Stevenson, C. H. Tyler, C. Lucas, Dixon, T. Sheppard, Smith, Terry, and Wesley. The opening of the Court having been proclaimed and the jury duly sworn, Mr. G. Stephenson proposed, and Mr. Finch seconded, the election of Mr. Clark (late High Bailiff) to the office of Mayor for the ensuing year. There was no opposition and consequently Mr. Clark was declared duly elected. Upon the proposition of Mr. Hollier, seconded by Mr. W. H. Brooke, Mr. E. Grainger was elected High Bailiff. The Sergeants, Messrs. A. Patterson and J. Jordan, were reappointed, as were also Messrs. C. Lucas and S. Smart, (flesh-tasters), and Messrs. W. Minty and J. F. Watkins, (constables). The only alteration made in the appointment of ale connors was the election of Mr. W. Smith instead of Mr. J. Smith, who is ill, to act in conjunction with Mr. W. Sheppard. Mr. Samuel Cook, amid some merriment, made his customary annual protest against the illegal appointment of a Mayor of Dudley, inasmuch as Mayors were usually elected from the Court of Aldermen; and although he found from ancient documents that there was once a court of Aldermen in Dudley, yet as there was not such a court now, the office of Mayor must have become extinct. He protested most solemnly against the farce of continuing such elections. (Laughter). Mr. Cook was thanked for his protest, and the subject dropped. Mr. Clark, in a few words, thanked the jury for the honour conferred upon him that day, and expressed his hope that at the termination of the year of office they would find that he had discharged the duties incumbent upon him in a very satisfactory manner, and that he could allow the mantle of an office which had been in existence 200 years to descend upon his successor unsullied in the slightest degree. The various officers were then duly sworn to “serve our Sovereign Lady the Queen,” &c., and the business of the Court terminated. Subsequently the whole of the above-named gentlemen, together with F. Smith, Esq., Messrs. T. Oakes, W. C. Wood, sen., Bateman, Houghton, Deely, Cartwright, &c., sat down to a luxurious dinner, provided by Mrs. Smith, of the hotel, in her accustomed good style. Amongst those who sat down to dinner was Mr. S. Cook, who so indignantly protested against the proceedings of the morning, and the fact caused not a little pleasantry.—Daily Post.