The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-26 00:00:00

THE PROCESSION.

As the Westminster clock (Big Ben) struck the
hour of 3, Mr. Shipton and Mr. Howell made the
signal for moving, this signal being the sending up
of a rocket. The people made a clear passage, and
cheers of welcome were given to the prominent men
at the head of the immense force. First came a band
—the "Perseveranee," of Islington, conducted by Mr.
Charles Stevens—then the mounted farriers already
alluded to, followed by the chairmen and speakers at
the Hyde-park meeting. After these marched the
labourers four abreast in close order, those from Kent
and Sussex leading the way and carrying hop poles
from which fluttered ribbons of every shade of blue.
One old man, who started jauntily enough, but who
subsided into a weary limp long before the park was
reached, bore a pole surmounted with a bundle of sticks
tied together and a cap of liberty. Underneath was a card
on which was written, "A Member of the Birmingham
Political Union of 1832." The Kent and Sussex
labourers seem to be particularly rich in banners—
there were some scores to be seen yesterday afternoon
—most of them bearing highly-coloured representa-
tions of the story of the Good Samaritan, and such
devices as "United we Stand; Divided we Fall,"
"Be True and United," &c. Only a very small pro-
portion of these emblems had inscriptions which had
even a remote connection with the objects of the
gathering—such, for instance, as "The House of
Lords and the People" (a wholesome sentiment, by
the way), and "Will the Lords Defy the Labourers?"
Another flag had the words, "Salisbury says we
don't want it, but we intend to have it—The
Vote! ! !" ; another asked "Why should the
labourers wait ?" These two being closely followed
by a third, on which was printed' "Behold how
good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity." After the labourers came
the trade societies, headed by the printers, book-
binders, and paper makers. The former carried a
printing press on a lorry, and men were hard at work
in their shirtsleeves printing off small slips and dis-
tributing them amongst the crowd. The Book-
binders Society announced on their banner that "We
respect law, and not privilege," and the compositors'
banner declared," We demand the vote as our right."
The iron and metal trades came next. The tin-plate
workers were preceded by four of their
body carrying specimens of their trade, and the zinc
workers had quite a temple of that metal
mounted on a waggon, and surmounted by
an enormous gas meters, the makers of which
had combined with the zinc workers for the occasion.
The clothing and leather trades formed Sections 3
and 4, after which came the shipping trades, the
leaders beihg seated in the full-rigged three-master
which is annually taken to Fairlop Fair on the Ist of
August. The railway servants, not to be outdone,
exhibited a model of George Stephenson's " Rocket "
and a model of the modem locomotive. The building
trades, the cabinetmaking and fancy trades, and the
"general trades," brought up the rear of this part of
the procession. These sections were accompanied by
thirteen bands. Then followed the political clubs,
Liberal Associations, and provincial deputations. One
of the Liberal Clubs had in place of a banner a small
black shield, on which was painted in white letters,
"In memory of the House of Lords, A.D. 1884." The
Battersea Liberal and Radical Clubs were especially
strong in the matter of banners. They bore such
inscriptions as "We claim the right for 2,000,000
fellow-citizens;" "Population of Battersea 192,000,
number of voters 12,000 ; " "We demand an exten-
sion of the polling hours ; " "Give us the vote, it is
our right ; " Why should Battersea wait;" "Those
whom the gods mean to destroy theyfirst make mad;"
and "He that through the channels of the State con-
veys the people's wish is great."