The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

(Stamped, Id. Additional')

WORKING MEN'S CLUBS.

It remains for us to glanoe at some of the more
prominent of the working men's clubs established
in the provinces.
We shall find, as a rule, that these institutions in
rural districts are very much under the control of
the clergy and local gentry, with whom they gene-
rally originate, and that consequently their mode
of government is more despotic than we fiod in Lon-
don and other large towns. A club was established
in 1855, nt Littlemore, near Oxford, by the Rev.
O. W. Huntingford, of which that gentleman,
writing in 1859, said that the constitution was
"oligarchical, with a dash of despotism," adding :
"The committee meet at my house on the first Mon-
day evening of every month, and we administer the
affairs of the club according to our supreme dis-
cretion." This committee consisted of working
men, but they were nominated by the reverend
gentleman, who doubtless was the leading spirit
We are not saying this in detraction. In a small
etentry village or township, where the humbler
orders have little education, and consequently no
self-reliance or power of organisation, the guidance
of • cultured and sympathetic gentleman is doubt-
less a great assistance. But in larger towns, where
the working classes are not devoid of an intelligent
knowledge of their own waste and of the way to
MOOS them, we should be sorry to see too great an
intrusion of the clerical element, or of anything
which might seem like the patronage of gentlefolks.
That working men can manage such things success-
fully for themselves is strikingly shown by the
example of the Wednesbury Club. A committee
of gentlemen was formed there last January for
starting a ball for artisans and labouring men.
Some months passed, and the thing hung
fire. At length the working-men took the mat-
ter into their own handa, rented a house,
canvassed for members, contributed books, papers,
games, aud personal labour, and set the club going
merrily. They have, indeed, succeeded so well as
to disprove a dictum of the Working Men's Club'
and Institute Union, to the effect that such under-
takings cannot be self-snpportiag at the outset.
The Wednesbury Club pays its way Already with-
out any extraneous assistance. This is what we
want to see in the metropolis, and in all towns
Where mechanics are to be found with sufficient in-
telligence aud command of means to act for them-
selves. While cordially recognising the benevolence '
and admirable intentions of the gentlemen, lay and
clerical, who have helped to establish many of
these associations, we are nevertheless desirous of
seeing the working classes providing for their own
wants by their own energy. The bringing together
of men of humble education and their so-
oial superiors is doubtless a good thing for
both, but this might be effected in the
educational classes, and on the occasion of those
social gatherings which the clubs are partially
designed to promote, leaving the management in
the hands of the artisans themselves. We are
bound in fairness, however, to acknowledge that at,
Leeds the committee of working men did not har-
monise among themselves, and it has been found
necessary to replace that form of government by
despotism administered by the founder, Mr. Darn-
ton Lupton. It is to be hoped that this is an
exceptional instance ; and the success of the
Wednesbury Club, as far as a judgment can be
formed after so short a trial, seems to prove
that it is so. •
Wednesbury is a small town in Staffordshire,
about equidistant from Birmingham, Wolverhamp-
ton, Walsall, and Dudley. Thu inhabitants, who
are chiefly employed in the manufacture of iron,
have had a mechanics' institute for some years ;
and to this is now added the club which has re-
cently been set on foot. The house is open
daily (Sundays excepted), from 9 a.m. to 10
p.m. The su. iptious are 2d. weekly, 2s. quar-
terly, and honorary members one guinea yearly.
The club was opened on the 30th of May, with 100
members, and at the close of the first quarter 315
were on the books, showing a weekly average of 178
subscribers. Since the change of premises (early
in the present month), 142 additional members
have joined. The average number present at any
given time in the evening is 55, viz., 15 in the
reading room and 40 iu the amusement rooms; but
the library is frequently crowded. Of newspapers,
five daily and seventeen weekly are taken, together
with eight miscellaneous periodicals. The library
consists of about 200 volumes, and the number is
augmenting every week. It originated in the con-
tributions of members, but has since been enlarged
by purchase. At present a great many of the volumes
are novels and works of light reading; but it is
thought that, with a larger proportion of books of a
more solid kind, the issues (which have already, in
a period of two months, reached 446) would prove
to be much more extensive. Members are admis-
sible at fourteen ; bat this is thought too low an
age for any but educational purposes. Men do not
like consotting with boys, and boys sometimes
become precocious men by being brought too much
into the society of their elders. Classes will soon
be opened, and refreshments have receutly been
supplied in the club rooms. A chess club has been
established, and prizes will be given to the best
players. Besides chess, the members play at baga-
telle, draughts, dominoes, and solitaire. One very
interesting and gratifying result of these games has
been noted. Many members who originally juiued
the club purely for the sake of pastime have been
gradually drawn to the library • so that mere
amusement has unoonsciously acted as the hand-
maiden of instruction. The more easy games, too,
have in several instances led up to the more severe
and intellectual, such as chess. The thoroughly
popular government of the club has
doubtless tended greatly to its mimosa. The
committee (24 in number), the secretary, treasurer,
librarian, and auditors, are all working men. A
continual =vase goes on for members, and sub-
scriptions are collected by regularly chosen officers
at the factories every Monday morning. The club
was commenced in a private house, but this was
I found to be too small, and several poisons left
because of the overcrowding. The old Town-hall
is now rented at 451. a year for eighteen mouths.
Ten of the committee are the responsible tenants,
each being held answerable for a tenth of the rent,
and ten others divide with them these tenth shares
into twentieths. Wednesbury has set au admirable
example to the working men of other towns, and
its prosperity is amply merited.
The club at Leeds, which we have already de-
scribed as despotic in its government, was esta-
blished in June, 1861, and commenced with about
fifty members. For nine months the institution
steadily progressed, until the number of members
averaged 1,700, as many as the rooms can at one
time accommodate. Since May, 1862, members
vary week by week from 1,500 to 2,000, occasionally
reaching 3,500 for a taking concert. The present
number of members is 1,900. Attendance is varia-
ble, being influenced by amusements, &c. Usually
each evening there are 200 chess and draught
players, 300 or 400 readers, and from 800 to 1,200
in the lecture-hall. Innocent recreation, rather

than instruction, is aimed at ; but there are reading,
writing, arithmetic, and natural history chuwea.
The library counts 300 volumes, including biogra-
phy, history, travels, and novels. None of these
are circulated out of the building. Tea, ooffee,
ka, am supplied at coat price ; and chops and
steaks can be cooked for members at a half penny each.
In fine weather during the rummer months the
amusements include cricket, foot ball, aunt sally,
quoits, brasses, leaping with the pole, and the
maypole. Every Thursday a first-class lecture is
given ; on other evenings the institute brass band
of 16 instruments plays. On Wednesday evenings
a " free and easy " is held. This is popular,
attracting geserally 1,200 to 1,300 members.
Occasional concerts and amateur dnunatic perform-
ances vary thevother amusements. The Una' of
inembuship are—weekly, Id. ; quarterly, le.

[TWOPENCE

Owing to the liberality of Mr. Darnton Lupton all
deficiencies are made up and, consequently, the
society is out of debt. During the six winter
months a special service for working men takes
place every Sunday in the lecture-ball at three in
the afternoon, and is usually attended by from 600
to 800 working men, many of whom never attend
any regular place of worship. The preachers are
freely supplied by the established church, Wesleyan
Methodists, Independents„ Unitarians and Baptists.
These services are said to have been attended 'with
the very happiest results, numerous cases of recla-
mation of character having come to Mr. Lupton's
knowledge. '• The paid attendants," writes
that gentleman " are well paid. It saves
me trouble. I am out of pocket ; but,
from my experience, and with great economy,
and not too many amusements, the penny subscrip-
tion would about pay the actual necessary cost, if
the rooms are given. Altogether, no mouey can be
better spent, and it is within the power of most
men of business to do all that I sin called on to
provide. I believe our institute has been the most
successful in the empire. We are free from debt,
have no disturbing elements, and all seem satisfied."

To this club is attached a boys' branch, of which
the members are under 17 years of age. The
numbers vary from 200 to 300. All are working
lads ; they come as soon u their work is over get a
good wash, and have their hair cat. Theattaations
consist of draughts and chess. There are reading,
writing, and arithmetic classes, and singing is very
popular, all joining in the chorus. In summer out-
door games are provided, as in the men's club ; and
on Saturdays the boys occasionally go to Mr.
Lupton's house in the country, and have milk
and buns.

The effect of these institutions in promoting
temperanoe, even when they do not attempt any
positive teetotal propagandiam, is shown by the
fact that, immediately after the opening of the
Birmingham Central Working Men's Club, a de-
bating society requested and obtained permission to
remove from a public-house to a room in the club,
on condition of the members joining the institute
altogether. From Scarborough Mr. Tugwell, the
promoter of the club in that town, writes to the
secretary of the Working Men's Club and Institute
I Union :—" I have examined the books of the
police-office, and find that, from the time our club
was opened, on the 28th of February, up to the
9th of April, there has been but one case of 'drunk
and disorderly ;' while before that time scarcely a
day passed without one or more, and during the
corresponding period in last year there were no lees
than twenty-six cases." At Southampton it has
been found that the skittle-alley of the club is
thronged every evening, while those of the adjacent
public-houses are almost deserted. With respect
to the various classes of workmen attending this
last-named hall, Mr. W. C. Westlake, of South-
ampton, gives some curious particulars in a
paper read at the annual meeting of Friends'
Temperance Union ou the 27th of last May. He
mays :—" On analysing the first 700 who enrolled,
we found me-fourth, or 172, of them to oonsist of
labourers, hawkers, porters, Arc. ; 109 bricklayers,
carpenters, masons, kc ; 103 boiler-makers and
smiths ; 61 shoemakers, currier', &c. ; U seamen
and engineers ; 99 painters, mechanics, ; 26
tailors, and the remainder shopmen, agents, &to.
This record shows that we have really reached the
class we intended, and that it is, in fact, a frater-
nity of labouring men."
We cannot conclude our survey of these institutes
without expressing a hope that they may spread
and prosper, and reiterating a strong dadre that
they may, wherever practicable, be taken in hand
by working men themselves, so that they may be
established on bases the most broad and deep, with-
out reference to sectional views, or to any other
objects than convenience, good fellowship, mental
instruction, and moral improvement.

Tax BZRICELZT Houma.—The Berkeley hounds
met yesterday at the Hands, on the Glourestet-road.
Colonel Berkeley, our respected member, with Captain
Samosa and Colonel Nigel Kinsmen, accompanied them—
while at least 130 of the best men of Cheltenham turned out
to meet them. The Gloucester division mustered well, and
with the assistance of the neighbouring farmers and gentry,
there gathered a held of upwards of 300. A Mese fog
prevailed until 12 o'clock, when the mist began to die.
perm, and the hounds were thrown into Badgworth-wood.
A fox was soon found. and broke away at caeca He
went straight for Crickley-hill, affording the field, some
very pretty vale riding, but giving them the slip among
the quarries, the coked, in order to show as much sport
as he could, took the bounds hack to Bedgwerth, where
another fox was moved directly, and went away without
much delay for Chosen. The pack ran him without •
cheek to the bill, and a good hunting rite ensued of about
forty-five minutes. when the hounds got their fox in view,
but the friendly shelter of • drain saved his life. There
were many falls, se the country was very blind. Among
those who were In the first flight throughout. conspicuous
in grace and bravery, was Mrs. Jacobs, the wife of Mr.
Frederick Jacobs. This lady, mounted on her favourite
chestnut hoes*, a brilliant fewer, excited the admiration of
the whole field by her wonderful horsemanship, arid we feel
sure that our gallant colonel regretted the loss of the fox,
more especially when it deprived him of the pleasure of
promotive her with the brush.—Chelfeekan Examiner.
Tess FATAL AINNIANT IN THE SOUTHAMPTON
WATER- —On Tawdry Mr. Henry Summers, captain of the
Lady of the Lake steamer, running between Southampton
and the Isle of Wight, was brought up ou • warrant before
the county magi strata at the Guildhall, Southampton, on •
charge of manslaughter. The steamer was on her passage
from Southampton to Cowes on Saturday morning, and
when some miles down the rider, mar to Calshot Castle, a
boat was run down in which • fisherman mimed Fielder,
who resided at Waned), abort six miles from the first-
mused town, wee engaged is the pursuit of his calling. The
poor fellow kept above water for about ten minutes, but
sank before • boat could reach him which was lowered
from the steamer, and the body had not np to yesterday
afternoon been recovered, although sevensl beats ham been
daily engaged in dragging for it since the evident. Toe
unfortunate fisherman has left a widow and nice children.
One of the passengers on board the lady of the Lake was
examined on Tuesday, and the captain was then to:wended
till Friday, when the cam will be folly gone into. the de-
fendant being meitatime liberated on hail, himself is 1001.,
and two sureties in 501. each.

A KEEPER JAILLFJ) DT A BEAL—TLC Cologne
Gazelle states that one of the keepers of the wild beasts in
the Zoological Gardens of that city het his life three days
risco, through an act of foolhardy temerity committed in
violation of the regulations of the estelelishiwnt. Fancying
that be had obtained complete mastery over the bears, be
invited a number of his acquaintawas to see him enter the
bear-pit, and take his breakfast along with its oecupente.
He began his performance by advancing towards a bear,
econniandieg him to come and take a piece of bread which
he herd between his teeth. The bread happened to fall on
the ground, sod when the keeper attempted to prevect the
bear from picking it up, the animal sprang forward, *rind
him by the neck, and strangled him in a moment. Before
the body could be withdraws from the pit, it was found
nommary to Bra reveral shots at the bear.
ACTION OF ENGLAND CONTRACTORS AGAINST THE
ROMAN RAILWAY COMPAST.—The Tribunal of Commerce
of the Seine has just given judgment iu an action
brought by Hamra. Jackson, Fall, and Jossling, Eng.
Bab engineers, ezaiost the Roman Railway Com-
pany to recover demean for brivitch of contract,
which were laid at 000,000 fr. In 12,57 the plaintiffs
were competing with the Casa Valdez Company (afterwards
absorbed in the Roman Railway Company) for the concession
of the line from Bologna to Ancona, but withdrew from the
competition! when promised the contract for executing
the work. of the line, mid as thin promise wee not realised
they obtained as an indemnity hoo,ooofr. is rash, and the
promise of the works of the line from Ravenna to Porto
emend, which the company hoped to obtain from the poe-
tidal government, thee etill in pommies of Romagoa.
After that arrangement them) provinces fell ander the
sovereignty of the Ring of Italy, and his governnieet granted
the line from Ravenna to Porto Coesini to the Roman Com-
pany in exchange for the Ferrara line, which the govern-
ment had transferred to the Lombard Company. le con-
sequence of those changes, the Roman Company refused to
fulfil their premise to the plaintiffs, and confided the ex-
maims of the Ravenna hoe to their general contractor, M.
Briot, and hence the present proceeding.. The Tribunal,
afar-raring counsel, decided that the plaintiff. had clearly
established the breach of ,metraet, and were therefore en-
titled to damages, which it estimated at 80.000 fr., mid ac-
cordingly condemned the defendants to pay that sum to the
pleietila with all costs of snit.
TILI ANDOViII AND RIDITRIfs:I RAILWAY.—
The works on this line are now beiag pushed forward with
great rapidity, on various parts of the lice. The tollhouse
SIM Ramsey I shoes to be pulled down to n slut room for
the rail junctiee with the Brahopetoke bumph,