The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-01-21 00:00:00

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

The weekly meeting of this Board was held
yesterday ; Mr. Granger in the chair. There
were also present:— Messrs. Brooks, Wood,
Rollinson, Bird, Darby, Fereday, Griffin, Guest,
Paskin, Plant, Powell and Rhodes. The minutes
of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
Admitted into the house during the week, 27;
born, 2; discharged, 13; remaining, 447. Cor-
responding week last year 446. Out-door relief,
Kingswinford district, £4l 3s 6d; Stourbridge
district, £27 Os Gd ; Halesowen district, £25
17s 8d ; total, £94 is 71, against £94 14s Gid
last year.
The Clerk reported that he had received a
precept for Worcester County rate, amounting
to £246 Os 7d, payable on the first of March.
The corresponding amount last year was £869
14s Bd, the present quarter thus showing a con-
siderable decrease.

ANNIVERSARY DINNER.—OR Monday evening
last a large number of tradesmen and friends
sat down to a sumptuous dinner at the Star and
Anchor, Commercial Inn, Coventry-street, to
celebrate the birthday of the respected hostess,
Mrs. Brown. The chair was occupied by Mr.
Perks. After dinner the usual loyal toasts were
proposed and duly honoured. The toast of the
evening—" The health of Mrs. Brown," was
r proposed by the chairman, who spoke in eulo•
' gistic terms of the worthy landlady, and con-
cluded by wishing her every success in business.
The toast was given with musical honours. Mrs.
Brown responded in suitable terms, thanking
those present for the honour they had conferred
upon her by being present at the annual anni-
versary of her birthday, and said that she could
boast of being the oldest tradeswomen in the
town— (applausel.—The health of the Chairman
was proposed and drunk with enthusiasm, and
duly acknowledged.—During the evening a num-
ber of songs were sung by those present, who
appeared to enjoy themselves thoroughly.
SUDDEN DEATH.—EarIy on Sunday morning,
Mr. Gretton Cooper, eldest son of Mr. William
Cooper, of Amblecote, was found dead in his
bed. As he did not get up when called, a mem-
ber of the family went to his bedside, and found
him to be lifeless. Meisrs. Freer and Turner,
surgeons, were called in, but their services were
of no avail.

VAGRANCY.—At the Public Office, on Tuesday,
before Mr. W. C. Firmstone, George Guise (3.6)
a tramp, was brought up on • charge of being
found begging in the town at six o'clock the
previous night, by Police.sergeant Jonee.—The
Bench committed him to Worcester prison for
one month.
RELIEF OF THE POOR AT OLDSWINFORD.—On
Thursday last, upwards of 15 tons of coal and
260 loaves of bread were given away to the poor
of Oldswinford, through the liberality of ladies
and gentlemen residing in the district.
.

CHIEF CONSTABLE OF WORCESTERSHIRE. Mr: A.

HerbertSufford, Chief Clerk of
.Southwark Police Court

and author of several pamphlets on police duties and
management—among which are some valuable sugges-
tions on the constabulary syetem—is, we understand, a
candidate for the Chief Cont,tableship of Worcester
County, now vacant.
LECTURE EY ANTHONY TROLLOPE, ESQ.— Last night
this well-known author delivered a lecture in the Corn
Exchange, to a large and fashionable audience, on
• English Prose Fiction as a Rational Amusement."—
Mr. H. W. H. Foley presided, and said that bovine been
invited by the Committee of the Associated Institution
to preside in that place on the present occasion, he had
the agreeable task of introducing to those present one of
the greatest writers of the present day ; a gentleman
whose works, be believed, most of them had read. Ile
; should, without any further preface, have the pleasure of
introducing to them Mr. Anthony Trnllope —(eheers).—
Mr. Trollope was received with cheering. He spoke at
some length, and during the course of his lecture said
people ought to be careful in selecting what style of liter-
ature they would read. What the brother read the sister ;
should read ; but what the sister was not allowed to read
the brother should not be allowed to read ; and what the
father would not let the children read the father himself
should not read. The reading of Sir Walter Scott's
novels had secured domestic happiness. There was a
great difference between the novels of Scott and those of
Thackeray and Dickens, whom he knew and loved, and
who had gained for themselves a name far exceeding
other novelists ; and he was exceedingly sorry that Mr.
Dickens had died since he (the speaker) lied delivered
his lecture at Oloncester last year. He hoped that those
present would choose for themselves the proper sort of
novels—novels that would do them good and not evil.—
At the close of the lecture, Lord Lyttelton said he rose
with great pleasure to propose a vote of thanks to so emi-
nent a man as Mr. Trollope, and expressed his great
pleasure at meeting that gentleman.—Captain Walker
seconded it, and it was carried umnaimously.—Mr.
Trollop° suitably responded—The Rev D. Maginnie
proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman for so kindly
coming forward on behalf of the Associated Institutes.—
This was seconded by the Hon. C. G. Lyttelton, and car-
ried unanimously—Mr. Foley said he should at all times
be willing to do all the good he could for the Associated
Institutes.—This closed the proceedings.
STEALING A WATCH.—At the Police Court, yesterday.
before Major Fletcher, Messrs. H. 0. Firmstone, J. Hot-
croft, and C. P. Noel, James Owen was charged with
stealing a silver watch. the property of Charles Boynton,
on the 3rd inst. at Upper Arley. Police-sergeant Bald-
win asked for the case to be remanded until Monday.
Prisoner was remanded to Brierley Hill.
Doung AND ASSAULTING THE POLIGE,-William Cart-
wright was charged with being drunk and assaulting
Police.coustable Box on the 12th inst, whilst in the exe-
cution of his duty. Mr. Perry appeared for defendant.—
Box stated that he was in High-street, by the Town
Clock, when he saw defendant who was very drunk, and
making a noise. Ile requested him to go home. He re-
fund, and began cursing him. Witness laid hold of biro
sod lie fell down and caught hold of witness's thumb in
his month, and bit it severely. He had had medieal as.