CABDRIVERS' BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION.
May 5th, 1879.
The objects of the Cabdrivers Benevolent Association are: 1, to give annuities of £20 a year; 2, to grant small loans; 3, to give temporary assistance in cases of urgent distress; 4, to assist the widows and orphans of cabmen. This is an institution the benefits of which are so obvious, and for the help of a class of men so hard-worked, so uncertainly paid, and so useful to the public, that we are not surprised at the readiness with which the Prince of Wales assented to preside at one of its annual festivals, and at the hearty earnestness in which he made an appeal on its behalf. It was at the festival dinner on the 5th of May, 1879. On coming to the toast of the evening His Royal Highness said:—
"There is, I think, no class of our fellow-countrymen that deserve more of our consideration than the cabdrivers of this great city, and it has already been truly expressed to you that one cannot think without pity of those poor men sitting on their cabs in the cold east winds with which we are, alas! so well acquainted, and in the rain and snow which have been our lot now for so many months.
"They are as a rule, I believe, a class honest, persevering, and industrious. For them I have to plead to-night, and for this excellent institution, which has for the last nine years rendered to them such great benefits.
"The objects of this Cabdrivers' Benevolent Association are, as you are aware, threefold—first, to give annuities at the rate of £12 each to aged cabdrivers or to those who from infirmity are unable to earn their living; secondly, to grant loans without interest to members requiring such aid, and to give temporary assistance to those who may be in distress through unavoidable causes; and, thirdly, to give legal assistance to members who may be unjustly summoned to the police courts. It is hardly possible to conceive that any benevolent institution of this kind is more deserving of support, not only by the large assembly who are gathered here, but by the inhabitants generally of our great Metropolis. There are a thousand cabmen who are members of this Association, and they pay 5s. a year. Pensions of £12 are granted now to old and indigent cabdrivers, but it is our great wish to augment that sum to £16" (now £20). "The system of loans seems to have answered admirably in every respect; £600 has been granted to the members without interest, and these loans have, I understand, been always most regularly and most punctually repaid. Two hundred and thirty-three cabmen or their families have been assisted by this society in various years since its formation, and its existing capital is more than £3000; but this we hope to augment still further.
"One statement I may make which may be of interest to those present here this evening. I mentioned that as a class the cabmen are thoroughly honest. As a proof of that I have statistics here before me which state that last year there were between 16,000 and 17,000 articles left in cabs, amounting in value to about £20,000, which have been punctually returned. I believe, at least it is the popular belief, that there is only one article a cabman never returns, and this is an umbrella, and I think that is, we may consider, quite fair. A gentleman having an umbrella may not want a cab, but without an umbrella he will be compelled to take a cab if the rain comes on!
"There are now between 11,000 and 12,000 cabmen, and the amount of the expense in cab fares comes to a most colossal sum, something between £4,000,000 and £5,000,000 sterling. With regard to the remark I made as to the honesty of cabmen, it may perhaps be not out of place if I mention an anecdote which was told me to-day. A gentleman drove in a cab to a shop, left the cab, and entered the shop. On coming out of the shop, he was not in so quiet a frame of mind as when he entered it; it was evident to the passers-by that he was dissatisfied with the shopman; he left the shop and went away. The shopman threw a case into the cab. The gentleman had forgotten it. But the cabman immediately drove to Scotland Yard and delivered the case, which was found to contain jewellery worth £2300. This will give you some idea of the honesty of these men, for whom we are endeavouring to do much. Some considerable good was done only four years ago by a philanthropic and noble lord whose name is known to you, who started cabmen's shelters. There are now twenty of these, and they shelter 2000 cabmen, doing much to alleviate the discomfort of the men, who sit so many hours of the night suffering from the inclemency of the seasons.
"When I see this large assemblage I feel I shall not call in vain, and I call upon you to augment the capital which already exists. With this toast I have great pleasure in associating one who is treasurer of the Association, Lord Richard Grosvenor (now Lord Stalbridge), member of a family well known in works of charity and philanthropy. I thank you for the kind way in which you have listened to my imperfect remarks, and now I must ask you to drink with enthusiasm 'Success to the Cabdrivers' Benevolent Association!'"
It is pleasant to find from the latest published report that the Institution, which the Prince of Wales so warmly commended, is in a prosperous condition. The annuities have been raised to £20, and there are 40 annuitants now on the books. The receipts in 1887 were £2191, and the funded property was £10,000. Temporary relief was given to upwards of 200 cabmen. Upwards of 1200 members contribute 5s. annually, but this is a small proportion of the whole number of cabdrivers, more of whom ought to be persuaded to join as members, as they alone receive the benefits of the Association. The applicants for loans, on the prescribed terms, were 89. The cabmen have been fortunate in the chairmen at the festivals and annual general meetings. The Prince of Wales is patron of the Association. The honorary secretary is G. Stormont Murphy, Esq., and the office is at 15, Soho Square.
THE PRINCESS HELENA COLLEGE.
May 23rd, 1880.
The Prince of Wales presided at Willis's Rooms at a dinner in aid of the funds of the Princess Helena College, on the 23rd of May, 1880.
After the customary proceedings and toasts of the evening, and speeches by the Duke of Cambridge and Lord Sydney, the Prince rose and proposed the toast of "Prosperity to the Princess Helena College." He said:—