The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-04 00:00:00

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' ASYLUM.

On Saturday hat the aermaocy of laying the foanda-
tioe-moite of a new wing, whir* the board of est
of the above admirable institution have detetsined upon
adding to the present budding, was pecfornied by his Royal
Highness Prue* Allure, I. the presence of a nusamous
emerablege of the patrose and wappereare of the eharity.
The original building was eanineneed in the year 1828,
wider the immediate of his late Royal Mahan.
um Duke of Bursez, and the than agreed on, and ulti-
mately carried out, was that it should consist of three aides
of a quadrangle, of which the main portion was to furnish
43 dwelling% and the two wings 28 each, to be appropriated
to the reception of aged,iadrm, and decayed sambas of the
trade of licensed victuallers. The antral portion of tie
building, which was the first contracted for, was speedily
completed. and 43 deserving individeals, who were elected
by the sebseriben at large from a numerous list of appU-
eaute, were at once admitted. Br the erection of the south
wing, which was built in 1832, the board of management
added 29 dwellings to the asylum, which were immediately
tenanted in the sense manner. The original design of the
structure was minted in 1834 by the erection of the north
wing. Some years subsequently two lodges were erected at
the entrants gates of the asylum, which, besides being an or
meat to the institution, were necessary to preserve its
grounds; and the entire building at present, therefore, con-
sists of 103 distinct dweliiegs, which are occapied by no
fewer than 124 individuals, including the wives of Shoes of
the male candidates elects d who were married, all of whom
are not only providesi with comfortable resident's, but re-
ceive pecuniary assistance, as well as medical attendance.
medicines, sad supplies of fuel, et the expense of the insti-
tution. _ _

For many years past, however, the numb* of applican's
for admission into the Asylum has very greatly increased,
and it was a constantly recurring source of regret to
the board of management that the institution, in its present
form, was cepable of affording habitations to but a small
portion of the deserving applicants who sought shelter under
its roof. At the last denims there were no fewer than 61
applicants for admissioa to four houses then vacant, and the
board was of necessity forted to reject the claims of 60 me-
sons. This distressing circumstance induced the board of
management to make an energetic effort to raise
a fend for the purpose of providing an additional
number of habitations ; and their determination becoming
known, wee highly approvei by rainy of the originators of
the Institution, acd heartily concurred in by the ladies con-
nected with the trade. It was therefore determined, in the
beginsing of the present year, that a subscription should be
at once set on foot to raise funds for the building of en ad-
ditional wing, of the same dimensions and design as the pre-
sent north wing of the institution ; and that, in compliment
to the ladies, who have so promptly and generously aided ,
the project, it should be called " the Ladies' Wing."
Althuugh only • few weeks have elapsed since this determi-
nation was come to, the appeal made to the trade was so
warmly responded to that about 2,6001.—a sum maiden% to
defray the cost of sixteen additional house—was quickly
collected, and the bawd of management gave directions
that they should be forthwith commenced.
With the view of giving eclat to the event, • deputation
from the committee waited on Prince Albert, the present
patron of the asylum, to beg that he would be pleased to lay
the Wooded ea stone of the proposed new building, and his
Royal Highness having comentied to comply with the re-
quest thus made of him, appointed last Saturday for the per-
formance of the ceremonial.
The arrangements made by the committee to ensure the
comfort of persons who might be disposed to witness the pro.'
reeding. of the dey were excellent. A handsomely deco-
rated pavilion tent, width contsired seats for about 800 per-
sons, was erected under the superintendence of Mr. Edging-
ton in toe centre of the grounds at the rear of the 'ohms,
and afforded ample socommodation for the visitors on the
occasion, three-fourths at least of whom were ladies.
In the centre of this marquee was placed the foundation
stone, which bean the following inscription This foun-
dation stone of en additional wing to the Licensed Victual-
lers' Asylum, to be named " the Ladies' Wing," was laid by
his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Ka., &c., &e., on
Saturday, the 2nd June, 1849. Chairman, Mr. R. B
Hugel. Trustees: Mr. C. H. Clifford, Mr. A. H. Turner,
Mr. M. Wallace, Mr. L. Pugh, Mr. G. Shepperd, Mr. T.
Reynolds. Governors: Mr. J. Sinclair, Mr. H. J. Compton,
Mr. T. Clench, Mr. G. Edwards, Mr. J. Thompson, Mr. J.
Wilson, Mr. H. Cullingford, Mr. 0. Rooks, Mr. H. A.
Adams, Mr. T. C. Dean, Mr. J. Partridge, Mr. W. Harris,
Mr. W. Taylor, Mr. S. Fanfield, Mr. F. Iderrit, jun., Mr.
D. Pottle."
The hour named by hie Royal Highness for the performance
of the ceremony was four o clock, but the grounds of the
asylum were thrown open at 12 o'clock. The band of the
Royal Artillery was stationed in the gardens in boat of the
asylum, and played various airs throughout the day, while
vise Thornton, Mr. E. Nelson, Mr. Gong*, Mr. N. J.
Spode, and several other vocalists, including the infant
pianist*, Marie, who gave their services gratuitouely, per-
formed a selection of pieces of vocil and instrumental music
fur the entertainment of the company is the pavilion.
At four o'clock his Royal Highness, who was
.-C attended by
the Hon. Lieutol. Phipps, Cul. Seymour, and George W.
Anson, Esq , arrived at the gates of the asylum, and drove
up tho centre walk of the grounds, which was linked on
either side by the inmates of the institution, and by the chil-
dren of the Licensed Victuallers' Schools.
His Royal Highness having inspected one of the residences,
with the comfortable and cleanly arrangements of which he
expressed himself much gratified„ • procession was formed.
Upon reaching the pavilion his Royal Highness was received
with loud cheering. and the members of the procession having
taken their places, the brass plate to be imbedded in the stone
was presented to his Royal Highness by Mr. Cooper, the
contractor, who read the inscription, which is identical
with that on the stone itself. Mr. Jones, the secretary of
the institution, presented to his Royal Highness a bottle
containing various coins of her Majesty's reign, and these
having been placed by his Royal Highness in their assigned
positions, Mr. Hughes, the *airman of the 'mama, road the
following address :
May it Meese your Royal Highness : The board of ma-
nagement of this noble institution, of which your royal high-
ness is the patron, have deputed me as their chairman, to
express to your royal highness their profound sense of the
great obligations you have conferred on the society by attend-
ing on the present occasion, and I trust that " the ladies'
wing" which is about to be founded will stand as a luting
monument of your royal highness's kindness and gracious
condescension, as well as of the true christian feeling of that
trade with which this society is connected. lam also de-
puted
to present your royal highness with this trowel, to aid
your royal highness to carry your intention in attending.,
here this day into effect; and 1 feel no doubt that when
completed, this wing, though not the original i.n larger por-
tion of the edifice, will be looked upon with high admira-
tion from its haying originated with the ladies, and the first
stone of it kiting laid by your royal highness.
The trowel, which was richly ornamented, was then
handed to his Royal Highness, who having spread the
c, mint upon the bed of the foundation, the atone was
I..wered to its place amid loud cheering. The plumb' rule
and mallet having been applied to the stone with the usu 4
forms h hie Royal Highness, he declared it fixed, amidst
narwwt cheering. The Bishop of Winchester then pro-
nonacid a most impressive prayer ; at the conclusion of
which the children of the school sang the National Anthem.
Mr. HUGHES then thanked his Royal Highness on his
own bettad and on that of his co/leagues for his condescem
den in attending on that occasion, and assured him that hoc
Majesty had no more loyal or devoted supporters of her I
throne than the licensed nasalises of London. He begged
also to be permitted to tender to him on behalf of the aged
inmates of the asylum, the warmest thanks fur his attendance
on the occasion, and assured him that the circumstance
would be engraven on their hearts to the latest moments of
their lives.
The PRINCE, in reply, said that it afforded him extreme
gratification to be enabled to assist at that work of charity,
which, together with the other charitable institutions sup-
ported by the licensed victuallers, reflected great credit on
the trade to which they belonged.
The Prince then retired amid loud applause, and imme-
diately afterwards left the asylum.

THE DEPARTURI OF THE FRENCH PAM..
axon MAIMILLIS for Malta, Alexandria, sad Beyrout is
altered from ithe 6th to the 4th of the month, the lotion
fen which leave London on the last day of each month.
FATAL AFFAIR AT UPTON SHODSBURY. The
Worcester Herald says: " A very lamentable affair has
imam place at the village of Upton Bnodebury this week.
A sick club, which comprises many of the labourers of the
amongst its usemben, met at their lodge bones, the
=1 ,1 on Whit.Tuasday, to have their annual feast, not
having attended Divine berries in the church in the morn-
ing, as they had been in the habit of doing in former years
because the clergyman declined to preach the customary
1 sermon—for some reason which, as we have heard a variety
of very opposite oats mentioned, we will not here specu-
late upon. Their whole day was consequently spent at the
publio-bouse, and towards evening they were joined by a
number of other villagers, who did not belong to the club.
Drinking, smoking, and all the deereiptions of entertainment
which a village publie-hooss commmly witnesses, were con-
tinued throughout the night, and at five o'clock the next
morning there atilleontinued, according to the landlord's own
testimony, about a hundred people in end round the house.
At this hour, when it may be well supposed that the whole
party were earioludy under the influence of liquor, a quarrel
took place in the back-kitehea between two men named
William Powell and Joseph Hewlett. They had been tossing
for drink, and Hewlett said that his opponent had not acted
fairly, and without more ado he pulled off his coat and be-
gan to fight with Powell. After they bad struck a few blows,
William Hewlett, brother to the first combatant, interposed,
and taking up his quarrel, said that he would fight the mat-
ter out with Powell. The challenge was aecspted, and the
w'ciole party adjourned to a piece of ground by the side of the
tiott•e—Hewlett's own father being one of the crowd, and as
\!La seats as the rest in promoting the combat, and urging as
his son. Between twenty and thirty rounds were fought,
with nothing of what is called ' =Sanwa ': on either side,
with curled soccer—Powell appears to have been severely
punished about the face—but at lest one unfortunate blow
hem Powell knocked Hewlett backwards, sod in the fall i
the binder part otitis head struck against the sharp corner 1
of an oaken pea. As he lay on the ground perfectly sense-
leer, and tumble to move it was at once wen that ev.mething
serious hados, and a medical man wee mat for
Peahen ; but before he could arrive, than remained
no need of his services—the man was dead. He was rather
1 a fine yeaeg ISM, 27 yews of age, unmarried, and
bore a good , being esteemed amongst his fellows
for his icaccrhs and obliging d:sposition. On Thunda
Friday an
inquest was comesoneed and adjourned, and on y a
verdict of 1 liaashinititer ' was returned sgakist William
Powell, and he wal ootosnitte4 is UM Isis trial st the nest
amiss."