The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-19 00:00:00

•• ANCIENT OEDER OF FORESTERS.
(Stourbridge Dutrict).
TO THOMAS PERKIN, P.D.C.R.

Sir and Brother,—We, the Members of Courts Foley
(No. 2405) tbar&balth (4518) and Lyttelton (4607), being
desirous of alievring our appreciation of the courteous,
peree,riug, and iiimutereeted manner iu which you have
sought to promote the welfare and prosperity of the
Order in this locality, and particularly of the Courts
abuvediamed, respectailly request your acceptance of
the accompauying lesunwhial—n haver Lever Watch
and Ovid Alpert i_fialu and heal—as a slight mark of our
appreciation, and also of our respect and esteem. IVhile
we fully acknowledge the fact that CourUi tiaribaldi and
Lyttelton own their existence and prosperity to your un-
tiring efforts, and that you have added more than 120
Members to the Order (including 16 Honorary), the
Members of Court Foley are ritually ready to admit that
chiefly to you vigilance and perseverance during the
fifteen years you have beta a Member, they owe the re-
moval of many abuses, and the sub,titution of many
healthy reform,

Ilupuig that you may live many years to wear your
lestliuoutel ; that we may long haie the benefit a your
once; and that health and prosperity may attend
you,
We remain, on bthalf of the Sobeeribere,
bun iii the bonds of Brotherhood,
[Here followed the names of the repreaentativss of
the Courts above mentioned.]
The presentation consisted of an excellent
silver English Lever Watch, and Gold Albert
Chain. The watch was jewelled in four holes,
and bore an inscription on the back to the effect
that it was given to Mr. T. Perkin as a mark of
the appreciation of eminent services which he
had rendered to Forestry. The watch was
supplied by Mr. Stringer. The chain was a
handsome facetted and engraved bright gold
"Albert,' with a largo gold sardonyx and blood-
stone seal to watch, with the quality of the gold
stamped upon the chain and seal; and it was
supplied by Mr. Douglas.
After having read the address, Mr. Brooks
said he thought before he sat down they ought
to drink Mr. Perkins'e " good health ;" which
was done. with much enthusiasm.

Mr. T. Perkin rose to reply, and in doing so
said he had often read accounts in the public
press descriptive of such affairs as that which
Was taking place there that evening ; and it
generally happened that the recipient of the
testimonial made the remark that he could not
lind words to express his thankfulness. This
had been so often the case that he came to look
upon those words as old-fashioned and obsolete,
and inwardly resolved that if it ever came to his
turn to stand in a similar position he would try
to make use of something more original. Un-
fortunately, however, for him now that his turn
had come he found himself in precisely the same
predicament and found that he was compelled
to fall back upon the old formula; for no words
of his could give adequate expression to the feel-
ings of gratitude which filled his breast on that
oectsion. The chairman had referred in Hatter.
lug terms to his connection with Forestry. That
first commenced some 16 years ago, and he would
give them a few of the reasons that had in.
fluenced him in joining thatbody. One of these
was that it was shortly aftor he was married,--
and he felt it incntuls et upon him to make
some provision against sickness or any other of
those casualties that befall mankind. At that
thee the only method of doing this that was suit-
able to the means of the working man was
Friendly Societies," and it consequently re-
duced itself simply to a question as to which
was the best of these. Ono of the chief reasons
that actuated him in selecting Forestry was
that lie found that by joining that order he
would have an equal share in the management
of the business. He also found that in case of
any abuse there WU a Board of Arbitration