The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-10 00:00:00

rlc.toarbribiy Oberoci.

- IdA.Y 10, 1879.

THE OPENING OF MUSEUMS ON
SUNDAYS.

The question of opening museums on
Sundays engaged the attention of the House
of Lords on Monday night, and .the time
devoted to its discussion is a recognition of
the importance of the subject. The debate
was initiated by Lord Thurlow, who, having
called the attention of the House to apetition
addressed by working men to Parliament
this sssion, praying " for the opening of the
British Museum, the South Kensington and
Bethn.al Green Musenms, and the National
Gallery, to the people on Sunday afternoons,'
moved the following resolution :—"That this
House, having observed the excellent results
that have followed upon the opening of such
institutions, on Sunday afternoons in Dublin,
Birmingham, Manchester, Middlesborough,
Hamptou Court, Kew, eac., is of opinion that
tis highly desirable that the prayer of this
petition should be granted, even ,f only in
part and as a tcntative measure, in order to
pr)7id3 the working classes of London with
an alternative to the public-house on the
many inclement :-,anday afternoons when
places of out-of. doors recreation, such as the
no avail for the purposes
of health and relaxation."
fheir eirdships :ejected the resolution by
smaller majority than might have been
expected, which seems to indicate that the
arguments continually pressed in favour of
such a measure are accepted by an increasing
number of the members of the Lipper House.
There can be no doubt that if the opening of
the places named in the petition were acceded
to, the exan_ple would be extensively followed
in other places and by other institutions; and
t might, perhaps, be urged that a rucasure
-which Government sanctioned in refe-encc
to public institations ought also to be allowed
to a:,ply to those under private manageini:nt
,saic douiro_eis, to a eeriain
an assimilation o onr pop ar

tno

WW(3I 1a a Yogy cizitat,u4

day to the English Sunday; but it is very
important to distinguish between this as-
similation, as confined to recreation and
instruction, and the adoption of a fashion
-which would allow the ordinary operations
of commerce and labour to -be carried on
during the day of rest. It is not to be denied
ti at some benefit would accrue to a consider-
able section of the people by the adoption of
Lord Thurlow's proposal; and there can be
no doubt that were our working-men more
frequent visitors to our great storehouses of I
art and antiquity, the value of our Museums
would be enhanced as educational agencies;
but the question at issue is, whether there
are any attendant evils which would render
these advantages nugatory. Lord Beacons-
Old pointed out that "a revolution not
legislative, but nevertheless powerful," had
been effected by the Saturday half holiday
movement, by which the working classes
had secured fifty-two half holidays in the
year ; and, in deprecating any charge which
might affect the observance of Sunday as a
day of rest his lordship said :—"lt is the
corner-stone of all civilization; and it would
be very difficult to estimate what might be
the deleterious effects, even upon the health
of the people, if there were no cessation from
that constant toil and brain-work which
must ever characterise a country like this,
so advanced in its pursuits and civilization."
The Prime Minister, and the Primate, who
also spoke against the resolution, expressed
their apprehensions that such a measure
would prove the introduction of the thin end
of the wedge, and that commendable national
habits, based Lpon Sabbath observance,
might be thus tampered with, and perhaps
broken up.
The resolution affirms, and it was also
urged in the course of the debate, that the
museum and picture galleries would afford
the working man an alternative to the
public-house on wet Sundays, and thus di-
minish drunkenness; but it must be remem-
bered that, during a greater part of the tint
available, p blic-houses are also closed, so
that this argument loses much of its force;
and the Duke of Somerset expressed his
opinion that the opening of museums would
not have the effect of closing public-houses,
although his lordship declared himself ir.
favour of the motion.

There is no doubt the question will again
be brought under the notice of the legislatur(
and those institutions which have alreath
thrown open their doors to Sunday visitors
will be anxiously watched for results likel3
to influence the future course of the question.
And it will be well if in the meantime the
advocates and the opponents of the measure
will avail themselves of all opportunities oi
acquiring such additional information bear-
ing upon the subject as will further thc
elucidation of what appcars to be a some-
what difficult social problem.