The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28 00:00:00

MAGNIFICENT GIFT TO THE WORKING
MEN OF HALESOWEN.

Mr. J. S. Gibbons, J. P., of the Le,asowes, near
Halesowen, presented, at a largely-attended meet-.
ing of working men, held at the National School
on Monday night, a building for the purposes of
a working men's club. The club is situated in
Cornbow Street, Halesowen, and cost upwards of
£1.500. The rooms are large and commodious
and there is every convenience for the ordinary re-
quirements of a working men's •club. Provision
is also to be made for the sale of refreshments,
such as coffee, cocoa, ttc.
eMr. E. Gem presided, and observed that the
meeting had been called to thank Mr. Gibbons for
the very valuable, commodious building which he
had erected in the town, and which he trusted
wouldabe of great use and benefit to the working
men. The gift supplied a want which had been
felt for a considerable time. The need of such an
institution had been greatly felt for many years,
and although an attempt was made some few
years ago to inaugurate a similar institution, yet
the dimensions of it were so small that it could
scarcely be expected to meet the requirements of
the town. The object of Mr. Gibbons in founding
the institution was to provide a place where they
might all go to spend their spare time and find
food both for mind and body—as it was the inten-
tion of the promoter to make it a kind of coffee
and cocoa-house where working men might get
wholesome refreshments. Periodicals and news-
papers of the day would be provided, both Liberal
and Conservative—(hear, hear). He trusted that
none of them -would be so bigoted as to exclude
either of the party papers—(cheers). He dwelt
upon the value and necessity of such institutions
in enabling working men to form correct opinions
upon social and commercial matters and pointed
out how necessary it was that the working classes
should be rightly informed, so as to form those
opinions with a view to the best interests of the
country. He thought if they had been instruct d
correctly in the principles of political economy,
they would not have seen the thirteen weeks
strike in the nail trade which terminated so dis-
asterously to all concerned. If the masters and
the operatives had each given way a little they
might he believed have retained abundant I rade
instead of drivinglit abroad. While the workmen
and employers of labour in the country had been
haggling about hours and prices, manufactories
had been established abroad in America, France,
Germany, and Belgium, and those countries were
now able to supply themselves with the articles of
manufacture they required. He did not, how-
ever, despond, because he felt confident that when
the reaction took place a return of good trade
would ensue. When that return of good trade
came if the English working men were alive to
their own interests and the interests of the aountry
at large they would place no obstacles in its way.
He felt that more :information and wisdom was
needed by all classes, and he could not see .a better
remedy for this state of things than for the people
to inform themselves by means of publications
which would guide their judgments and teach
them the best course to adopt under various cir-
cumstances. He hoped the institution would be a
great success, and prove a great boon to the town
—(cheers). Mr. J. S. Gibbous made a present of
the building to the working men of Halew wen,
without rent or interest, and all that he asked was
a mere acknowledgment that the building belonged
to him.

Mr. J. S. GanoNs,-who was received with loud
cheers, said that perhaps some of them remembered
that two years ago he promised to erect a building in
the town where the workmen might go and spend a
comfortable evening, converse with his friends, and
read the papers, without being compelled to resort
to the public-house. He was now ready to redeem
that promise, having erected a building which he
hoped to see used by all classes, and he trusted to
see it benefit all classes in the town, The princi-
pal object of such an institution was for the benefit
of working men. They felt a want of some place
where they could have a comfortable pipe and see
their friends without going to the public-house.
He hoped sincerely there would be no politieal, no
religious differences of any kind creeping in to
disturb the harmony of the institution. He did
not wish to impose any laws or restrictions upon
it. He had built it for the benefit of the town,
and he felt be should like to hand it over to the
Management Committee with as few restrictions
as possible. He thought it should be managed by
the people of Halesowen as it was for the benefit
of the town. He expressed his willingness to con-
tribute towards the expense of furnishing the
rooms—(prolonged cheering).
The Ven. Archdeacon Hone also addressed the
meeting.
A vote of thanks having been passed to Mr.
Gibbons for his very liberal gift, and a committee
elected to carry on the institution, the proceed-
ings terminated.