The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-24 00:00:00

LORD BEACONSFIELD'S MONUMENT
AND GRAVE.

Monday being the fifth anniversary of OA death of
Lord Beaconsfield, the custom of wearing primroses
in his memory was very generally observed throughout
the country. In the metropolis the observance seemed
even more widespread than on any previous occasion.
Not only were primroses worn as personal decorations,
but in the windows of clubs, private houses, and shops
considerable display was made. In many cases a small
bust or statuette of the departed statesman was placed
in shop windows, and surrounded by vases of prim-
roses. From the first arrival of the workmen's trains at
the various metropolitan stations till late in the day
itinerant vendors of the simple spring flower were en-
gaged in their sale, enormous quantities having been
sent to the metropolis from all parts of the country.
The statue of Lord Beaconsfield in Parliament-square
was decorated with greater profusion than on any
previous occasion. At midnight on Sunday the
Chelsea Conservative Club, whose headquarters were
lavishly decorated with primroses—deputed some of
their members to place the first wreath at the base of
the statue. Soon after daybreak many bunches were
deposited by working men proceeding to their daily
vocations. As the day advanced many other floral
offerings arrived from various parts of Great Britain
and Ireland, and at 11 o'clock not only was there
a considerable accumulation of wreaths and
bououets but also a large crowd had assem-
bled, eager to catch' a glimpse of the in-
scriptions. A large wreath encircled the neck of
the statue, and suspended below upon the granite
pedestal, and covering the inscription, was a card de-
corated with primroses, and bearing appropriate lines.
Immediately beneath this was an immense wreath of
pr'iniroses, sent by the Constitutional Club, the letter
" B " being worked out in similar flowers in the
centre. The ground work below was made up of quite
a miniature garden contained in a large tray, sent by
the Hon. E. H. Belilios, of Hong Kong. A tablet
was placed beside it bearing the following words:
"Peace with Honour. In memory of England's ever
deeply regretted, loved, and honoured Premier, the
Right lion. Lord Beaconsfield." And then followed
this quotation from the late statesman's famous
speech after his return from the Berlin Conference :
"Lord Salisbury and myself have brought you back
peace; but a peace, I hope, with honour; which may
satisfy our Sovereign and tend to the welfare of
the country." A splendid wreath, four feet in
diameter, was contributed by the Primrose Club. The
wreath was made out of about 100 market bunches of
primroses, and the inscription, "Primrose Club" was
formed out of dark blue violets adorned with sprays
of ivy leaves. Tiae members of the Howard de Walden
Habitation (at Maidstone) sent up two wreaths of
primroses, to be placed at the foot of Lord Beacons-
field's statue. One of these, which was of very un-
usual size and of great beauty, was contributed by
members of the Habitation residing at Willington.
Another tribute close by took the form of a poem
enclosed in a light frame, and among the other
trophies there were conspicuous a large cross, some
four feet in height, with the letters "H. D. C. A."
worked in violets in the cross section, and another
Nvith the words "God save the Empire" worked in
primroses on a background of moss. The f®rmer was
sent by the Rodney Davery (Essex, No. 933) Habitation
of the Primrose League, and the latter by the Dames of
the Primrose Central Habitation, Sheffield. Wreaths
and other tributes were sent by the Westminster (209)
Habitation of the Primrose League, by Lord Lecon,
field (whose trophy had a central setting of forget-
me-note); Miss M. Ellion, of Stuart's Town, county
Tyrone from admirers in Belfast and some other parts
of Ireland. One wreath was simply labelled "South
Pembrokeshire," and among those to which names
were attached were those of " J. C. Davies, Ireland ;"
"Mr. C. Wright, the Hollies, Hendon ;" "The
Ladies' (Clayton) Habitation of the Primrose
League," and numerous others. The floral offerings
placed at the base of the statue included a large and
handsome wreath of primroses presented by the mem-
bers of the Working Men's Conservative Club, South-
grove, Peckham. One beautiful wreath sent by a
lady, and placed at the foot of the statue, bore the
f olio% ing lines:—

" Can the. man be dead
Whose spiritual influence is upon his kind?
He lives in glory; and such speaking dust
Has more of life than half its breathing moulds."

A number of wreaths and crosses were received at
Hughenden in m emory of the Earl of Beaconsfield. The
floral tributes were sent in most cases through the
vicar, the Rev, If. Blagden, who placed them either
upon the grave or in the late earl's seat inside the
church, over which the Queen's memorial is placed.
Some offerings were, however, brought in person and
deposited on the tomb. The Queen sent two hand-
some wreaths—one of primroses and the other of
immortelles—both of which were placed at the head
of the grave. Mr. Willis sent a cross four feet high,
composed of encharis, lilies, white lilac, stephanotis,
lilies of the valley, and on it was represented the
harp of Erin, the outline and base of pale pink roses,
aud the strings of forget-me-nots, one string broken.
The cross was placed over Lord Beaconsfield's
vacant seat, and a card attached to it bore the follow-
ing inscription: '‘.• Peace with honour.' In memory, of
the Right Hon. the Earl of Beaconsfield, K.G. Died
19th April, 1881. Regretted alike by Queen and all
true patriots. From the Hon. E. R. Belilios, Hong
Kong.