The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-18 00:00:00

4'ocal aab gistrict 'Sam

ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES TO
THE VOLUNTEERS.

The annual distribution of prizes to the Stour-
bridge, oth Worcestershire Volunteers, took place
in the Corn Exchange, on Monday evening last,
before a large audience.
Captain Grosvenor said he was very much
pleased to see so many present to witness the dis-
tribution of the prizes to the volunteers, as it
showed there was an interest taken by the towns-
people in the welfare of the corps, and no doubt
had the weather been more favourable they should
have had a larger audience. It was a source of
great satisfaction to him as commanding officer of
the corps, to find that the interest which had
always been taken in the welfare and progress of
the corps was still kept up by the inhabitants of
the town, and he thought this year that the value
of the prizes exceeded any year he had known
since his connection with them. He was pleased
to say that the corps was in a very efficient state
this year, and the attention of the men to their
drills and duties had been very good and all that
he could desire. He trusted that the prizes would
be the means of stimulating the men to make
good soldiers, and, in conclusion, called upon
Major Walker to distribute the prizes.
Major Walker said he had very great pleasure in
acceding.to Capt. Grosvenor's request, to present to
the successful competitors the prizes they had won,
but he should have very much preferred that their
friend and neighbour, Lord Lytteltou, would have
been able to have distributed the prizes, but he
could not attend. Regarding the corps, he would
say as a field officer of the battalion to which the
corps belonged, that they were never in a better
state of efficiency than they were at the present
moment, and great credit was due to Captain
Grosvenor and the other officers under him for
bringing the corps up to this state of efficiency.
He was also very pleased to see the interests of the
corps was so well maintained by the inhabitants
of the neighbourhood. He trusted that the prizes
would be the means of making them good soldiers
by attention to their drills and studies, and would
also be the means of causing more to join the
corps and soon attain a state of efficiency. Our
army though very good was small and if war were
to break out that army would have to leave
England, the militia would be drained to join that
army and the brunt of the defence of the king-
dom would be left upon the volunteers, and there-
fore it was incumbent upon every society to
encourage the volunteer force. In conclusion the
Major said there were 121 efficient men in the
corps. There had been 547 men trained by them
in that town, and he was quite certain in case of
emergency they would come back to the standard
and it would not take one half .of the time to get
them efficient as if they had raw recruits. He
then proceeded to distribute the prizes as fol-
lows

-11-D;11:1 Prizes: Sergeant Alfred Bridgwater, Major
Walkers's cup and ..£2; Sergeant Edward Cardoe,
20s; Colour-sergeant Elijah Round, 20s; Bugler
Georae Holmes, a clock ; Private James Green,
108; rPrivate Alfred Johnson, lOs ; Private Henry
Dukes 10s; Private Thomas Fletcher, 10s;
Private Enos Perrins, lOs ; Private William H.
Toogood, lOs ; Sergeant William H. Dunn, 10s;
Private Frederick Dickin, lOs ; Private Thomas
Lees, a ham; Corporal Eugene Egan, Mr.
Russell's hat, lOs 6d; Private Alfred Hennessy,
Mr. Thompson's hat, 13s; Private Richard Morris,
Mr. Wa,ugh's bat, 13s; Private Thomas Everton,
a waterproof coat; Private Thomas Sheward,
shirt, gloves, and scarf; Private Thomas Hall,
cravat, gloves, and scarf; Private Edwin Rickards,
Mr. Stanley's felt hat, ss.
General Competition: Sergeant Edward Cardoe,
Captain Grosvenor's cup and 80s; Sergeant
William Dunn, 20s; Private Thomas Fletcher,
20s; Corporal Joseph Male, an overcoat; Private
William H. Toogood, 10s; Private Alfred John-
son, lOs ; Sergeant Alfred Bridgwater. 108;
Sergeant Samuel Harper, 10s; Private James
Green, a copper tea kettle; Private George Dunn,
10s; Bugler George Holmes, 10g; Private Thomas
Lees, a cake; Private Henry Dukes, Mr. Rowley's
hat, 10s 6d; Private Richard Morris, Mrs. Wall's
barrel of ale; Prisate Frederick Dickiu, three
bottles of wine; Private George Male, one bottle
each of gin, sherry, and' champagne; Private
Alfred Unitt, a butter dish.
Ladies •Cup Prize*: Private Thomas Fletcher,
Ladies cup and .E 1 ; Sergeant Alfred Bridgwater,
108 ; Private Henry Dukes, an umbrella; Private
Alfred Johnson, ss; Sergeant Samuel Harper,
ss; Sergeant William Dunn, Mr. Henwood's
boots; Sergeant Edward Cardoe, ss; Corporal
William H. Cook, a lamp; Private Thomas L
Walker, a ring; Private James Green, gloves,
cigar case, and pipe.
, Non-Commissioned Officers Competition, 1876:
Sergeant Alfred Bridewater, 20s; Sergeant
Edward Cardoe, a telescope; Sergeant Samuel
Harper, 10s,
Recruits Competition for 1876: Private Daniel
Hadley, Lieutenant Grazehrook's cup and 20s;
Private Thomas Sankey, lOs ; Private Frederick
Drew, lOs ; Private William Skinner, Mr. Pur-
chase's hat; Private Henry Underwood, pipe,
cigars, and tobacco jar • Private Samuel Worrell,
; Private George Lewis, ss; Private Thomas
Sutton, ss; Private Henry Mitchell, ss; Private
Francis McCarthy three bottles of wine; Private
James Worrell, a pair of slippers and gloves.
The Band Competition: Private Thomas L.
Walker, cup and 20s; Private Thomas Wright,
10s; Private Alfred Payton, lOs ; Private Joseph
Fleming, ss; Private William Wheelwright, 6s.
Private Thomas Elwell, ss; Private Daniel
Quarry, ss; Private Edward Davis, walking stick,
cravat, and gloves.
Sergeant Instructor Walker, a goose, given by
Mr. C. Mudd.

The following programme was gone through in
a very creditable manner, after which a vote of
thanks to Major Walker and Captain Grosvenor
closed the proceedings.
Programme: Pianoforte solo, Mr. Handle;
reading, Major J. Walker; song, Corporal H. .
Bird; song, Miss Perks; song, Private F.
Walker; reading, Captain H. R.Wolridge ; song,
Mr. A. Wall; song, Miss Perks: reading, Captain
G. W. Groavenor ; song, Corporal H. J. Bird
song, Mr. Handle; song, Private F. Walker;
due% Mom. Irixd sud Will.