The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-17 00:00:00

MR: BRIGHT AT ROCHDALE.

Mr. Bright presided on Monday afternoon at the
opening of the new infirmary at Rochdale, a gift to the
town from Mr. Thomas Watson, silk manufacturer, who
has long taken an active part in the charities and insti-
tutions of the neighbourhood. Mr. Bright was re-
ceived at the chief entrance of the building by Mr.
Watson and an assemblage of the local authorities,
clergy, and other residants ; but, in deference to
his wish, the proceedings that followed were of only
a brief and simple character. The formality of
unlocking the door having been performed by Mr.
Bright the terms of the deed of conveyance of the
institution to a body of trustees were read in the
principal ward, and the deed was handed by the donor,
amid applause, to Mr. Jackson, the senior trustee.
The latter' in a short speech of thanks to Mr. Watson,
dwelt particularly upon the good influence that might
be expected to result from a provision in the trust that
no intoxicating drink should ever be allowed in the
infirmary, except under medical prescription.
Mr. Bright, rising amid repeated cheers, said,—
The important legal business having been gone
through, perhaps this audience will permit me to
make a few general observations connected with the
circumstances which have called us together. My
friend and neighbour, Mr. Watson, has paid me the
compliment of asking me to preside. I really had
no claim to the distinction, for I have not been
more than an ordinary subscriber to the Infirmary,
I have taken no part in its management, and
I must confess I have not shown any special in-
terest in its work. But I did not feel that I
could refuse the office which was tendered to
me, and I think I am justified in speaking
of this occasion as one of a very special and high in-
terest—(hear, hear)—whether we consider the cha-
racter of the giver or the nature of his gift. If Mr.
Watson were not present, I should occupy a little
time more than I shall in saying something about him.
The late Mr. Josiah Mason gave a luncheon on the I
occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the
great College of Science at Birmingham, an institution
which he provided for the town. During the whole of
the proceedings, when every speaker lauded him with
compliments well deserved, there was not the slightest
change in the appearance of his benevolent and
tranquil countenance, and I found that this arose from
the fact that our dear old and honoured friend was so
deaf that he did not hear any of the laudations which
were passed upon him. (Laughter.) I should like to
say two or three things about Mr. Watson if he will
close his ears for the short time I shall speak.

Mr, Bright then briefly glanced at the industrious
career of the donor from his youth until he engaged in
basinees in partnership with two of his fellow-
workmen; and, it. continuation of his address, the
right hon. gentleman proceeded to say :

Up to that time, 'suppose, Mr. Watson had thought
he was very fairly paidat, perhaps, 30s. a week. Things
do change very much in men's lives. I recellect my
father telling me that after he came to Rochdale in 1802,
and was employed at those mills which most of you are
acquainted with—what are known as the Hanging road
factories, down in Toad-lane—he thought he should
very likely marry when his wages reached a guinea
a week. (Laughter.) Mr. Watson was getting on
very well with his 30s. a week, but he thought that
by venturing into business on his own account with
his fellow-workmen he might do better, and so busi-
ness was commenced near a place known to many
present. The business grew and prospered. One of
them understood silk spinning perfectly ; another
understood making hats; the third understood the
finishing of the goods. All of them, I believe, had
economy, industry, skill, intelligence, and honourable
conduct. Note these qualities, It is not to be won-
dered at that success attended their efforts, that
their business grew and prospered. The time came
when one partner was taken away by death,
but the business grew, notwithstanding. Sub-
sequently to that another partner thought he
could live comfortably on what the business had
then produced him, and he was willing to retire,
and did retire, and has enjoyed a fair competency as
the result of that business from that time to this.
Then Mr. Watson was left alone, but he had industry
and skill, intelligence and honourable conduct. He
understood what he was about; his business grew, and
at length he, who nearly 40 years ago emerged from
the class of workmen receiving wages, has become the
employer of some hundreds of men—l suppose as well
paid, as intelligent, and as orderly a body of workmen
as are to be found probably in this country. It is
very satisfactory to find that in one particular there
is no change in Mr. Watson's character, although
there is a change in his position. I dare say that
when he was receiving less than 30s. a week his sym-
pathies were, as they might naturally be, with the class
and order among whom he was working. But having
by force of character and circumstances emerged from
that order—l wish we had some better word to express
what I mean—he has not lost the sympathy he then
had for his class and order. It has not lessened in the
slightest degree; in point of fact it has been deepened
and strengthened. The result has been that he has
found a larger opportunity of gratifying the sympathy
which he feels. (Cheers.) The gilt which Mr. Watson
is now making to the town is by no means a single
and rare act of his life. We know some of us how
much he has been interested in the support of missions
—(cheers)—wherever abject poverty or great ignorance
were found among our population, and he has done
much for the repair or erection of places of worship,
not confined entirely to the sect with which he
himself is connected. We know that he has been
active in the protection of education, and we have
learnt to-day from Mr. Jackson, if we had not all of
us known it before, that ho was a most zealous sup-
porter of one of the greatest causes now acting upon
public opinion in this country—the cause of temper-
ance. (Cheers.) I have spoken of the 'giver, and Mr.
Watson will understand that I did not expect him to
hear anything about it; and having disposed of the
giver in as quiet and unobtrusive manner as one could,
we come to the question of the gift. It appears to me
that there is scarcely any better way of benefiting a,
population like ours than the establishment of an in-
stitution of this kind. What is our population? We
are here two or three hundred persons; but in this
parish I suppose there must be not far from 100,000
people; and what is the population doing every day
to obtain its three meals ? It is working in the
cotton and the woollen mills, in the foundries, en-
gineering works, and machine-making works; it is
found, some in coal mines, some in stone quarries, a
great number in the building trades, carpenters,
stonemasons, brick-setters, slaters, and in other
building trades; it is found in the local traffic,
wagoners, carriers, conducting the business of the
locality; it is found employed in the works upon the
railway. Among all this, it is easy to see, not only
are accidents liable to occur, but we know that they
do occur, and with a painful frequency. We who
are in a condition of life, most of us, probably
little liable to these accidents, cannot, I think, but
have a great sympathy, as Mr. Watson has, with
' the painful troubles which come to others espe-
cially those who are employed in the different
branches to which I have referred. When an accident
happens their condition is not, such as we should like.
Their homes are small houses, with two, three, or
four not large rooms. Sometimes the house is
crowded. A person who is suffering from a severe
accident is brought home; it is difficult for him to
have a room for himself and the tranquility of a
quiet chamber. Anything that he has in excess
of his ordinary habits is so much taken from the
remainder of the family and added to their die-
comfort, and if you require medical and surgical
aid and nursing it is extremely difficult to secure
it in the best manner in the circumstances of many
of these cottage homes. In this house—of which
this is one ward, and there is another as large as
this above—there is a ward intended for little children,
and every person, however poor, however suffering,
however friendless, if he is brought in from accident
o as far as surgical aid, medical aid,
d nursesuffering
concerned, be just as well attended
and
suinagidw are ill,
to as if he lived in the best house in the parish.
(Cheers.) This building, whether we regard it out-
side or inside, appears to me admirably calculated for
its purpose. Outside there is a certain mixture of the
modern and the almost antique, which, I think, gives
it a character which is very pleasing. Inside
the arrangements are such that if you look round
—as you will all of you before you go away this
afternoon—) ou will see how admirably everything
has been done. Observe that Mr. Watson,
yielding to advice, which he had better have re-
sisted, has given my name to the ward in which
we are assembled. (Cheers.) I could have suggested
something much better, but I hata heard from Mr.
Watson that some members of his family—l can
only hope that it may be the young ladies who are so ,
friendly disposed to me— (cheers)—have insisted upon
that name. The ward above is to be known by the
name of a beloved daughter of Mr. Watson, whose
removal by death some years ago left a sore gap in
his family circle. There is nothing that is -mean or
stinted in the arrangements of the place; everything
has been dictated by good common sense and largeness
of heart, and I do not know two things better in the
world than those two qualities. (Cheers.) I have a feel-
ing, although I have not made the propo ition at any of
the meetings, that it would not have been a bad thing to
have had this institution connected with the name of
its founder as the W atson Infirmary (hear, hear) ; but
this is a matter which, no doubt, the trustees, if they
like, can consider. In Edinburgh there is Heriot's
Hospital, which has come down from the time of
King James, with the name of its founder. In
London, I think, there is the Hunterian Museum, and
there are many others; so there is no objection to it
on tie ground of precedent. And now I want just
in a concluding sentence or two to refer to one other
point, and that is—what about the town and parish
to which this institution has been given? Are they
prepared, are we prepared, to give a generous sup-
port to it in the future? I have no informa-
tion whatever as to the probable expenditure of an
institution of this kind- but if the .wards were full,
which I hope they will not be, and 30 or 40 persons
were here, the expenditure must, of course, be con-
siderable. The medical expenditure, I believe, is not
great, there being a resident surgeon, who will have his
salary, but the other medical gentlemen of the town
connected with the Infirmary have given their services
gratuitously. (Hear, hear.) When we are well we
are often not indisposed to say things, I will not say
unfriendly, but a little critical, about our friends
the doctors; but my experience in a long life leads
, me to say that I think there is no class of persons in
this country who give so much of service to the popu
ation among whom they live as the majority of
medical mere. (Hear, hear.) They also, I hope,
will consider that they are performing a high duty
in serving the purposes of this institution, and I
hope that what they do here, as it adds to their
experience, will add to their reputation, and will
give them a greater hold upon the good opinions of
the population among whom their services are ern-
ployed. But the question is, What can be done
with regard to the support of the institutive.?
The subscriptions that have been made at the
various places of worship in the town have
been, I believe, more considerable than for some time
past. The institution of an annual subscription is a
rather modern' but I think an admirable invention. I
hope it may be continued, and continued with con-
stantly increasing success. The subscriptions that
have been derived from the contributions of persons
employed in the various factories and workshops
of the districts are very important, and they have

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been increasing. But if we eallv oome to consider
how much is raised by them, and consider what the
population is, how many people go to places of wor-
ship, how many people are employed in the workshops
and the mills, there is room, notwithstanding what
has been done for still greater improvement, and I
hope it will be found that the subscription from both
spumes will increase. I know nothing that can unite
all classes more entirely and in a way more favourable
to all than that they should contribute according to
their means. If a person in a factory gives is., or 2s. 6d.,
or 55., depend upon it it is a good thing for the moral
of the person who thus gives, and if the employer gives
£5 or £l9 or £2O there is a common contribution for a
benevolent and blessed object, and I think the advan-
tage of the whole neighbourhood will be consulted
if there be a generous contribution from all sources.
(Hear, hear.) I would exhort those here—and if any
should happen to hear of what I say, or read what I
say, I exhort them—to be resolved to give a generous
support to this institution. It would be miserable,
indeed, if there could be a townsman amonaus who could
show us this example of a noble generosity, and if we
were to fail in supplying means to give a lasting and
complete efficiency to the institution which his gene-
rosity has to-day presented to our town. (Loud cheers.)