The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-03-04 00:00:00

ANNUAL TEA MEETING AND SOIREE

AT THE LYE.

On Monday evening the Annual Tea Meeting and
Soiree in connection with the Lye Institution, wee held
in the large room of the Association. There was a large
attendance.

After tea the chair was occupied by L Wood-Aston,
Esg who, on rising, said he expected they were getting
very impatient, as he was half an hour bejaind time ; but
it was not his fault. He had been at their call for the
last half hour. He had no doubt they had enjoyed them-
selves at tea. He did not exactly know why he had been
elected as their president, and Loped the committee had
not made any mistake in choosing him. Bat as he had
a very lengthy programme before him, be did not intend
occupying the time with many remarks. He hoped they
would have a pleasurable evening, and that the Assoc:a.
Hon would be as successful this year as last. He was
very glad to be informed by the secretory, or rather his
substitute, they had last year. He was going to say the
secretary (Mr. W. Fiddian) had met with an accident,
sad was unable to attend. Mr. Anson (the secretary's
Bubstitute) informed hint that letters of apology had been
received from Mr. A. Freer, the Rev. J. Thompson, and
others. He should have been greatly pleased to have
seen those friends of the Association present, but they
could hardly expect their Stourbridge friends to
,come,
as there 5055 an impoitant meeting that evening on the
School Board question, in the Cons Exchange, Stour.
bridge, and they coned not expect them to leave that im.
portant town and come to such a little village as the Lye
Waste. He was at a public sale last week, and he heard
a gentleman make some remarks about the Lye Waste
that were not very pleasant; bathe thought it would be
better to let bygones be bygones, and not look at what
they had been, but what they were now.
Pianoforte solo—Miss Cartwright.
Mr. AllBOll then read the following report :
REPORT OF THE LYE INSTITUTE, FOR THE
YEAR ENDING DEC. 31st, 1870.

In reviewing the past year, your Committee feel there
is cause for congratulation in the progress which this
Institution has made, both financially and in number and
attendance of members. It is, however, with regret that
they have to refer to one event of the year, namely, the
death of their late President, Mr. Thomas Wood, one of
the oldest friends of the Institution, and who had taken
the greatest interest in and subacribed liberally towards
it since its establishment. The go number of mem-
bers during the year was 102; being an increase of 17
on the previous year, the maximum number being reached
in the last quarter. The income for the year, including
is balance of Xri 5a lii I.rought forward, amounts to £.5l
Ids 10d, and the expenditure to £ll Yrs tied, leaving a
balance of £9 15s 311 d, 1., be carried to next year's ale.
Collllt.

The Reading Room has been well attended during the
past year. It is supplied with the following newspapers :
—Times, Daily News, Standard, Birmingham Post, Bir.
minghvin gazette, Illustrated London News, Illustrated
Midland News, Public Opinion, Alliance News, Punch.
Judy, Stourbridge Observer, Advertiser, County Express,
Berrows Worcester Journal, and several periodicals. A
gentleman has kindly promised to give the Engineer and
Public Opinion newspapers to the Institution.
The library contains nearly 800 volumes of books.
The total number of I,,ioks issued during the year was
1661, being a considerable increase on the previous year.
For the last two years there have been no additions to
the library. Your Committee still subscribe to the
Working Men's Club and Institute Union, from whom 30
volumes of books are received every three months.
A class for the study of English composition has been
conducted by the Rev. IL Robertson, that has been fairly
attended. The Committee beg to thank Mr. Robertson
for his services in connection with this class. No other
classes have been held, mainly resulting from the dial.
culty of obtaining teachers. . . .

e
A chess match has been played between six of the
members of the Stourbridge Church of England Asso.
elation, and the same number of this Institution, result-
ing in a victory for the former, which, it may be hoped,
will shortly be reversed. Four Dew sets of chessmen and
boards have been subscribed for and given to the Insti-
tution, by the members. There has also been a contest
between a number of the members for an excellent set of
chessmen and board presented to the Institution for that
purpose by the .Rev. R. L. Yorke, and a set subscribed for
by the members, respectively gained by Mr. H. Wool.
dridge, and Mr. J. Chance.

By" the kind permission of T. If. Pargeter, Esq., a
picnic was held in his grounds in August last. Although
the state of the weather in the morning was discourag-
ing, towards noon it became fair, and there was a large
gathering of people. The profits amounted to £l4.
During the year the outside of the Institution has been
re-painted, Soc., and a sum of money subscribed by the
members for the purpose of papering and varnishing the
walls of the reading room.
A great hindrance to the comfort of the reading-room
is thin- want of boundary palisades at the front, the noise
snide near the windows and doors being often • great
nuisance to the readers. Your committee trust to be
able to do something during the ensuing year towards
remedying this defect, if the funds in their bands will so
allow.

The following is a list of of subscriptions and dona-
tion for the year :—Hon. C. O. Lyttelton, 11; R. P.
Amphlett, Esq., /1 Is ; T. H. Pargeter, Esq., 11;
Hall, Esq., El; J. W. Aston, Esq., 111, ; Mrs. T. Wood,
It 1.; Rev. D. Robertfon, /1 10s ; Rev. R. L. Yorke, /1.
In conclusion, your Committee beg to thank O. K.
Harrison, Esq., for supplying the institution with water,
T. H. Pargeter, Esq., for the use of hi. grounds for the
picnic, t.) the proprietors of the Worcester Journal,
Stourbridge Observer, and County Express, for the gift
of their papers, to the Rea. R. L. York*, for his gift of a