I may mention that Dr. Booker’s history of Dudley Castle is the most authentic work upon the subject that has yet been issued, and is now become very scarce and valuable.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
EPHRAIM BALL.
Dudley, October 23rd, 1871.
The late Mr. Mainwaring of Dudley, an old St. Thomas’s Chorister for a many years, gave us an amusing story of a marriage at the New Parish Church. “Soon after the New Parish Church was opened, Mr. Bourne, the Organist, and I went into the Parish Church to have a little practice upon the organ, after Mr. Bourne had played a voluntary, Mr. Richard Stanley, the Beadle, came to us and said, that the Vicar, Dr. Booker, wished us to give over for a time, as a parish wedding was about to take place; not exactly understanding what this meant, we determined to go and see it. As soon as we had reached the Chancel, we were informed by Mr. Bond, the Parish Clerk, that a certain sum of money was to be given to the young man by the parish authorities. As we had no Board of Guardians in those days, the parties in charge of the parish funds did pretty much as they liked with them, in this instance, and for certain reasons, they offered the young man about to be married five pounds. When we arrived near the altar rails we observed several young men and women in the pews, and there was an abundance of sly winking and laughing going on. At last, the Doctor entered from the vestry, and all the people became orderly and quiet. The service commenced and all went on smooth as a marriage bell, when the Doctor came to that part of the service where he said to the man, ‘Wilt thou take this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy state of matrimony,’ &c., &c. Here Mr. Bond, the Clerk, stepped forward, and told the man to answer ‘I will!’ He replied, ‘I’ll have the money first.’ The Doctor was indignant at this proceeding, and said, ‘What money do you mean sir?’ The man said, ‘Why the money they have promised me if I will marry this young woman, and I’ll have it before I answers, I will!!’ Upon this the Clerk went up to the Doctor and explained the matter to him, Mr. Bond also told the man that it was all right, the money was at his house ready counted, and after he was married he could go with him and have it. The man said, ‘I don’t care where it is, I’ll have it now and in my pocket before I am married.’ Upon this Dr. Booker told Mr. Bond to go and fetch it; the service being delayed until he came back. When Mr. Bond returned, he put the money into the man’s hands and after he counted it and put it into his pocket, he said to the Doctor, ‘You can go on now, it’s all right!’ and the service was completed, and the man, woman, and money, were all united in this (let us hope), blissful celebration.”
At the earlier part of the late Dr. Browne’s ministry among us, he met with a singular amount of innocency and ignorance at the baptismal font. A man and woman, well-known characters at Gornal Wood, thought they should like to have their next child christened at Dudley by Dr. Browne. In due course the child was brought to the font, and the portly Doctor, already equipped, enquired in his usual clear and musical voice, “Was this child born in wedlock?” “Noa, it worn’t,” says the man, “it wur born in Gornall Udd!” It is needless to say that the child got the spiritual induction, and the Doctor a homely sample of ignorance amongst the colliers in the Black Country.
This subjoined Bill is a curiosity in its way, shewing the way we did in the Army, long, long ago.
THE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,
TO R. MOORE, Dr.