February 2nd, 1823. “One Guinea Reward: Whereas, on Thursday last, about four o’clock, a party of young men (well-known in the town for their nocturnal exploits) was at that unseasonable hour riotously assembled to the disturbance of the peaceable inhabitants; were heard knocking at Surgeons’ doors, breaking of lamps and windows, and to threaten the life of an inhabitant; whoever can identify which of the party it was, who maliciously broke the windows of Mr. Samuel Cooke, shall receive the above reward.”
THE DEATH OF THE VISCOUNT DUDLEY AND WARD, BARON OF BIRMINGHAM.
Died, April 25th, 1823, the highly esteemed Viscount Dudley and Ward, of Himley Hall, acknowledged to be “The rich man’s model and the poor man’s friend.” This benevolent nobleman spent his truly valuable life at his estate and amongst his numerous friends and tenantry, dispensing with rare judgment and true benevolence his continual benefactions. The noble lord was not only mindful of the well-being and interests of the rich, “but he ne’er forgot the poor;” and the thousands of colliers working in his extensive coal mines, and adding so much to his wealth and greatness, were at all times special objects of his fostering care.
In the obituary of a provincial newspaper was inserted at the time this just memorial:—“At his seat, Himley Hall, died on Friday evening, the Right Hon. William, Lord Viscount Dudley and Ward, Baron Ward of Birmingham, and Recorder of Kidderminster. Though we hope we shall be the last to burn incense at the shrine of mere worldly greatness, yet we feel that it would be unjust to withhold from this departed nobleman the tribute of our sincere respect and gratitude. He did not suffer himself to forget that it belongs to those who are placed on an eminence, and entrusted with a superior portion of the goods of fortune, to be the almoners of Heaven; for it was his delight to encourage honest industry, to provide for the destitute, and to befriend every charitable institution in his neighbourhood. While he lived, his name, wherever it was mentioned, was accompanied with the poor man’s benediction; and now his honourable career is finished, his memory will be embalmed in the tears of the widow and the orphan; and he will sleep in that noblest of mausoleums—the bosom of the virtuous and the good.”
This good nobleman’s character was illustrated in a remarkable manner, which truly developed the gentleman and the kind hearted father of his people, in an event which well-nigh caused “a strike” amongst his numerous colliers. “Strikes,” such as we are periodically subject to in our day and generation, (too often projected and fostered by idle designing knaves,) had no existence in those times of a proper respect and feeling existing between master and man. This incident is worth recording if it be for no other purpose than showing that the noble master and his colliers were brought face to face without any underlings to distort the facts or prejudge the grievance. The person who then superintended his extensive collieries, judging it expedient to adopt a different mode of working them, introduced, from Lancashire, a certain number of miners to carry his plan into execution, which so exasperated the native workmen, that, shortly afterwards, not fewer than 3000 of them suddenly assembled and proceeded to the gates of his lordship’s park at Himley; thence deputing some of their body to state their supposed grievance to him in person, and obtain an order for the aliens’ dismissal. At the same time several of the neighbouring gentry resorted with all speed to the Hall, accompanied by magistrates to render their assistance. After the deputation was admitted and had stated their case, which his lordship desired they would do fearlessly and explicitly, he requested the attendant gentlemen would individually give their candid opinion “whether his agent had acted prudently or not in bringing the foreigners, as they were termed, into the neighbourhood.” The opinion being unanimous “that the mines in the strangers’ country being very different to the mines in this, the mode of working them is consequently different, and, however competent the men might be to work there, it was conceived that so utterly incompetent would they be to work here, that accidents to themselves might be apprehended, and great loss to their employer.” “Well then, gentlemen,” said his lordship, “from your judgment I must infer that the strangers in question have no business here.” Then turning to the deputies, in a firm and dignified tone he thus addressed them:—“go and tell those who sent you that the foreigners, as you please to style them, shall depart to-morrow, and if any injury be done to them the injurers will suffer for it. Tell them, also, that I concede the point in deference to the opinions of these gentlemen. Had their opinion coincided with that of the person who brought the men hither I would have ordered them to remain, even if the mob now at my gates should proceed to pull down my hall over my head, and to bury me in its ruins.” Accordingly, the next day, the strangers departed in peace and safety, carrying with them an ample remuneration for their journey and loss of time. His lordship’s love of true liberty was most emphatic, for on one memorable occasion when importuned to allow his mighty influence to be used in controlling the civil freedom of some of the inhabitants of Dudley, he strenuously resisted the suggestion, and on being reminded that he had only to make his wishes known to ensure a compliance by his numerous friends, he nobly replied, “I believe I have many friends at Dudley, but I have no vassals there;” a sentiment that will honour his name when his monument shall be crumbled into dust. The venerable nobleman attained the good old age of 73 years.
“Thus, bow’d with age, must thou, O man! become
A time-worn ruin, on life’s beaten shore,
At last to moulder in the darksome tomb;
But, summon’d thence, thou shalt decay no more.”
This benevolent nobleman left one son (John William), who became a famous statesman, and was raised in the Peerage, as the first Earl of Dudley.