The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-31 00:00:00

THE DINNER AT THE TALBOT ASSEMBLY

ROOM.

As a fitting sequel to the labours of the day,
the officers and privates of the Stourbridge Com-
pany were entertained to dinner at the Talbot
Hotel, in the evening. The members of the corps
assembled in the Corn Exchange about half-past
seven o'clock, and having been marshalled in order
by their respective officers, they proceeded to the
Talbot, preceded by the flute and drum band,
which played a lively "quick step." We under-
stand that the dinner was provided by Captain
Grosvenor in commemoration of his marriage,
which took place recently. There was an exceed-
ingly good muster at the dinner, about 116 persons
being present. The dinner was an excellent one,
and was nicely put upon the table, the only draw-
back being a scarcity of waiters, the result of
which was that the proceedings were unnecessarily
delayed..

Captain Grosvenor presided, and he was sup-
ported en the right by Major Walker and Captain
and Adjutant Wolrige, and on the left by the Rev.
G. Gilbanks (Chaplain to the Stourbridge Com-
pany) and Lieutenant Grazebrook-.

- After the cloth had been removed,
Captain Grosvenor said: I will now give you
what is always the first and most highly honoured
toast in all assemblies of
.Englishmen—and more
especially in asseinbliss of volunte- like osis
selves, who are all servants of our Majesty—
(cheers). I will give you "The Queen," and ask
you to couple with that the rest of the Royal
Family, who are worthy of all our respect and
regard—(applause).
Captain Grosvenor next said: I rise now to pro-
pose the toast of "The Bishops and Clergy and
all Ministers of Religion." We can all concur
with this toast, and fam sure that all of us—no
matter whatever denonimnation we may belong to
—we respect the hierarchy to which the bishops
and clergy belong, and all other ministers who
assist in the promotion of the love of God anionffst
us. And it is a very great pleasure for me to be
able to couple with the toast the name of our most
esteemed chaplain, the Rev. G. Gilbanks—(great
cheering). We are very fortunate in having such
a chaplain to act as Ordinary of this company;
and lam sure that ho takes as great an interest
in this Company as anyone who is working in it
—(applause). I have arranged with him to have
a church parade for the Company on Sunday week.,
and I hope we shall all show our sense of the pro-
priety of attending as a body of volunteers, by
having a good muster on that Sunday. I ask ycu
to drink his very good health—(great cheering).
During the short interval which ensued, the
Flute and Drum Band played "Rule Britannia.'
The Rev. G. Gilbanks responded, and said:
Captain Grosvenor and the other Officers and
Privates of the 9th Worcestershire Rifle Corps, I
have to thank you very heartily for the manner in
which my health has been proposed, and for the
way in which you have received it. He (Captain
Grosvenor) says quite rightly when he says that I
take a very great interest in this corps, indeed.
Your efficiency cannot be called in question after
what I have witnessed to-day at Hagley. I was
well repaid for my journey there by seeing how
well the manceuvres were accomplished by all wlib
were there. There can be no question about the
Inspecting Officer being satisfied w:th the men's
nianceuvres and their inspection (applause).
In returning thanks for the Bishop, I do so with
great pleasure, because I knew him when he was
the master of a college at a College in Cambridge.
He was one of the greatest favourites with the
undergraduates in the University, because al-
though they sometimes got into scrapes they knew
that so long as they were in the right they could
place perfect confidence in him, as he was both
generous and just. For the ministers of other de-
nominations, they were equally grateful, and they
are all doing God's work not only in this country,
but in all others where they exist. With regard
to the drill, I was not only astonished with the
way in which the companies did their work, but
with the movements of the battalion as a body.
The way in which they marched past in a body is
a striking instance of what can be done by a body
of men when well trained. There is one little
thing I should like to call your attention to with
reference to the church. We know very well that
• every one of you when you become members find
a difficultyin learning company drill and battalion
drill. It is exactly the same in our warfare with
evil, which yon have to learn to resist both indi-
vidually, and as a body. You do not all belong to
the Church of England, but you all go to different
places of worship, as people who have souls to be
saved. We aie a great army fighting against evil,
because if we do not get tip our drill or training
we shall make a poor appearance on that grand
parade at the last day before our great God—(ap-
plause). I shall be very glad to see you as a sign
that you have some idea of making yourself more
proficient in this service, and that in this spirit
you will come to the church parade, and I shall
see you there; and I shall always take a great in-
terest in this corps, whether I continue to be its
chaplain or not—(applause).
Corporal Egan sang, "The Minstrel Boy."
Captain Grosvenor said: lam now going to pro-
pose a toast which I am sure you will all drink
with more than ordinary enthusiasm. We are all
attached to our good old Colonel and are sorry that
he is not here to-day. He is vexed that he cannot
be here, but .he is prevented by Parliamentary
duti. a which he cannot n. glect. He is interested
in the Agricultural Holdings Bill, which is comine•
on this evening. Besides our respect for the
Colonel, this company has more than an ordinary
interest in the battalion, because one who was for
so long our commanding officer is the senior Major
of it—(prolonged cheering). In proposing the
toast, I cannot sit down without mentioning the
debut which our junior Major made to-day at the
inspection. We were all pleased that our new
Major proved himself worthy of his promotion,
and that he has taken an interest in it which will
do the battalion credit. I therefore ask you to
drink the health of Colonel Knight and the Offi-
cers of the Worcestershire Battalion of Volunteers
—(cheers).

,
Major Walker, on rising to respond was received
with great cheering. He said: Captain Grosvenor
and gentlemen, it is extremely gratifying to me as.
a field officer of this battalion that you should re-
ceive this toast with such great cordiality. I was
very much pleased to hear the Captain speak so
highly of our Colonel. A better Colonel does not
live, nor a man wha evinces greater interest in the
battalion. I have had a letter from him which
expresses his sorrow at not being here to-day, and
there is ao one who regrets him being unable to
attend more than myself—(applause)—aad I hope
that I shall have the pleasure for many years of
serving under such a good officer—(cheers). It is
not only that he is unavoidably absent from here,
but he has such important duties to perform that
he delegated me to,act as commanding officer in
his place, and I have endeavoured to do it—fmreat
cheering). Gentlemen, I am thoroughly pleased
wi h what has taken place to-day. Nousidar that

the battalion showed up as well as it was possible
for a battalion to do considering the awkward po-
sition in which we have been placed. The indes-
cribably wet weather has caused us to adopt dif-
ferent manceuvres to what we should have adopted
under other circumstances, and 1 am, therefore,
well satisfied with the result considering the at-
tention which we have been able to give to it. I
hope you will continue to go on trying after greater
perfection, so that next year you may be still more
efficient than you are at present—(applause). I
shall always be ready to offer you my services
when they can he of advantage to the battalion.
I have hitherto made it a point of honour to
attend nearly every battalion drill that has taken
place. I have even come down from London on
purpose to do so. Ido not say this as a boast, but
only to show you that 1(10 not let little things prevent
me from doing my duty by the battalion. With re-
gard to the junior Major I return you my most grate-
ful thanks for the way in which you have received his
name. 1 firmly believe that Captain Grosvenor has
earnestly tried to get himself thoroughly well up in
his work, and I am sure that when Captain Grosve-
ner takes up a matter he will not rest until he has
thoroughly mastered it—(cheers). There is a toast
which I have to propose, and I do so with a very
great :deal of pleasure. It is the health of your
much esteemed captain, Captain Grosvenor—(great
cheering). You have all known me a great many
years in this company. You know the interest I
take in its welfare. You know how desirous I was
that it should not be only a good company, but one
of the best in the battalion, and I could not have
picked out a man to succeed me in whom I have
greater confidence than Captain Grosvenor. The
whole of the officers in the battalion are good
officers, but no better officer exists than Captain
Grosvenor—(loud applause). You know that he
takes great interest in his work, and that he is
anxious that this corps should stand not only A. 1 in
the battalion, but in the country. On this occasion
we are not only to speak of him as the captain of
this corps. This occasion is a special occasion.
You are assembled here to-night to commemorate
his marriage—(great cheering). lam quite sure that
you will allow me to say, on your behalf, that you
hope he will live long, have great happiness, and that
he will continue to be the commander of this
corps for a great many years, and that he will have
the greatest happiness that the world can bestow
(loud and prolonged cheering.
Captain Grosvenor replied: Major Walker, offi-
cers, and gentlemen, the enthusiasm with which you
have received this toast almost takes away from me
the small stock of eloquence I possess. But first of
all allow me to express my thanks to Major Walker
for the too flattering encomiums he has passed upon
me, and to you, for the way in which you have re-
ceived this toast. It has been my honest endeavour
to promote the interest of the corps in every way I
can. lam sorry to say that I have not been able to
attend so many drills as I could have wished, and,
perhaps, this accounts for the fact that there are
many faces here which I have not had the pleasure
of seeing before—(laughter). The result of our
drill this morning had a good effect on the movement
of the company this afternoon, and I , believe I am
right in saying that our company drilled as well this
afternoon as any company in our battalion. It only
shows what can be done by a little practice, and if
one drill can bring you to that state of efficiency,
regular attendance would ensure still more. You
have taken up the work of volunteers, and I hope
you will do it well—(applause). I hope we may
work on many years together, and that every year
will show this company to be in a still greater state
of efficiency. And I hope that every year I shall Fee
the sarre faces that I see now, and that you will all
be efficients, and all good shots, and the best drilled
company in the battalion—(great applause). I know
that you all wish me the happiness to which Major
Walker gave expression—(hear, hear, and cheers).
I can assure you that my wife takes as much interest
in volunteers as Ido myself. She has an uncle who
is a Major of the Derbyshire volunteers, and a
brother who is an officer, and she takes a great inte-
rest in us, as was evidenced by her being present at
our drill this afternoon. I return you ray sincere
thanks, and hope you may all live long and happily.
(great cheering'.
. . _

Private Weils sang, "Meet me in the lane when
the clock strikes nine."

Captain Grosvenor again rose, and said: The toast
I have to propose to you now is one which you will
receive with equal enthusiasm to any that has pre-
ceded it. You have been kind enough to compliment
me • but allow me to say that a captain is of very
little use unless he is supported by good officers. I
am sorry to see that at present our complement of
commissioned officers is so small; but we have Lieu-
tenanant Grazebrook, who is one that we all esteem
—(applause). His father was a much esteemed offi-
cer of the company some years back, and he rose
from the ranks; but his son, I am sure, has already
equalled him in popularity in the corps, and his ear-
nestness in his work, and the efficiency which he has
attained, proves him to be well worthy of all the
esteem you can give him. lam happy to be able to
tell you that before very long we shall have, at all
events, another officer—and, perhaps, we shall ht.ve
more than one--but the one I am alluding to will
give great satisfaction to you, and it is with pleasure
I announce him to be the son of Major Walker—
(loud applause), Without further remark, I ask you
to drink the health of the commissioned officer of
this company, Li nitenant Grazebrook—(cheers.
Lieutenant Grazebrook responded, as follows: I
very much regret, in rising to thank you for the very
kind way in which you have drunk my health, to
find that I am the oily commis 3ioned officer, besides
the captain, in this company. But lam very glad
to hear that there is some one coming soon, as we are
a large company and we cannot do without some
more commissioned officers. Before I sit down I
shall ask you to think a toast which is one of the
most important that has to be drunk this evening. I
am going to ask you to drink the health of the Adju-
thnt—(great cheering). • I think if it was not for the
Adjutant the company would not have been so good
as it is to-day—(hear, hear, and applause). I think
if it was not for what the Adjutant said to the men
this morning, they would not have drilled so well this
afternoon—(laughter;and cheers). I must ask you to
drink the health in the same way in which you have
drunk the rest of the toasts this evening.
The toast was then drunk with " Musical hon.
ours."

Captain and Adjutant Wolrige, said: I believe lh
adjutant's place is everywhere, but More especially
at the tail end, for I find it is close to eleven o'clock
—(laughter). lam sorry to say that I have seen
one member of this battalion to-day in a beastly
state of intoxication, which is a disgrace to the bat-
talion and to the regiment. It is disagreeable to
have to mention these things, but an adjutant is com-
pelled to mention a good many disagreeable things in
the course of his duty. About fifteen years ago I
was launched into a position with a kick and a corn.
mission—(laughter). I do not know whether the
former did me any good, but I am sure the commis-
sion did not. Something has been said about the
afternoon drill being better than the morning drill.
I have also heard a remark upon my left to the effect
that the adjutant was never less complimentary than
he was this morning; but the effect of this was that
the companies—and this one particularly—had bene-
fited by it, and the afternoon's performance was cer-
tainly an improvement on that of the morning.
Whether it was the drill, or whether it was the effect
of those disagreeable things which the adjutant had
to say , it is certain that you were 300 per cent.
better than you were this morning—(applause). I
do maintain—and I am confident that I am right—
that one drill outside is worth half a dozen inside—
(hear, hear). You do suffer in this company most
materially from that Corn Exchange drill. I hope
that:some:members of the company who know where
there is a piece of land suitable for our purpose, will
try to get it for the purpose of drilling on it. I be-
gan by quoting all old saying and I will finish with
another. There is one to this effect that "All is
fair in love and war" I have tried them both; but
I am afraid tint the halcyon days of the former are
gone for ever from me, and the latter only remains.
It is not so with my excellent friend, Captain Gros.
venor, whose halcyon days are just commencing. I
can only say that my dream is over, but I hope and
pray God that his may be realised in the completest
possible manner—(prolonged cheering).
Captain Grosvenor said: The next toast I have to
propose to you will be received with cordiality, as it
is somewhat similar to drinking our noble selves.
The toast is that of the "Non-commissioned officers,-
privates, and the Sergeant Instructor of the Com-
pany "—(cheers). I have said all that I can as re-
gards attendance at drill on the part of you all.
Some of the sergeants have supported me vry well
indeed. I hope that we shall have better attend-
ance at drill, and that the sergeants will prove them-
selves in every way thoroughly worthy of their
position. lam glad that we have sergeants who for
so many years displayed a desire to do their duty in
their position, and I hope the privates will help
them in every way, and then it will be easier for
them to do their duty when they are promoted to the
rank of sergeants themselves. lam sorry that our
Quarter-master sergeant has been obliged to resign.
We are :all very sorry to hear it, because I believe
he was a gentleman who did all he could for the
company, and I can say from the way in which the
accounts of the company have been kept, that he is
a very excellent officer, and I know that you will be
very happy to drink his very good health—(cheers).
Mr. Evers, who has succeeded him, will, no doubt,
prove himself worthy to succeed him ; and I shall
ask him I o respond to this toast of the officers and
privates of the company: Sergeant Walker has been
a long time connected with the company, and has
always shown a great desire for the efficiency of the
company, and has fulfilled that desire. There is no
one who has worked harder than Sergeant Walker
has. It is a very great pleasure to me that his lab-
ours for the corps have been appreciated by you all.
Sergeant Evers and Sergeant Walker I drink your
very good health, together with that of the other
non-commissioned officers and privates of the corps
—(applettee).