The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-19 00:00:00

THE LATE MR. GEORGE HOLDEN.

A short time since we had the painful duty to perform of
recordinp the death of the above gentleman, who, for a
number of years, occupied such a prominent position
amongst the Liverpool musical world. Mr. Holden was
very much respected by a large circle of friends, by whom
his less will be greatly felt, but their loss is but a
small consideration in comparison with that of his
bereaved widow and family, who, as is too
often the case with those connected with the musical
profession, are, in addition to their grief, left in rather
straitened circumstances. Such beiug the ease, a meet-
ing of the late Mr. George Holden's friends, was last night
held in the large room at the Adelphi Hotel, for the pur-
pose of raising a subscription ore behalf of the widow and
young family, and the assist in placing them in a
respectable p osition in society. On the occasion, the chair
was taken by Mr. Jas. Holme, who kindly consented to preside.
There were several gentlemen, principally members of the
Glee Club, in attendance. Mr. Horsley having accepted the
office of hon. secretary, the Chairman said—Gentlemen, you
are all aware of the purpose for which we have met on the
present occasion—to adopt the best means we can for promot-
ing a subscription, or to take any other means that may be
considered most advisable; to raise a fund to relieve the widow
and family of the late Mr. George Holden. This meeting is
called f or a two-fold purpose, and is of a two fold charac'er ;
firstly, to express the deep regret we feel at the very sndslen
death of one who was well known to all, and respected by
all, and secondly, for the purpose of exercising that Christian
eh trity and Christian benevolence, which peculiarly belong
to this country, of providing something for the widow and
the young and fatherless children he has left. lam sorry
to say, that by his sudden death we have lost a great friend,
and his poor wife is plunged into the deepest of deep
distress. With regard to him who is gone, we have all of
us heard, in this room, with great pleasure, the manner
in which he has from time to time amused us, iu particular
when he has favoured us with some of the glees of the late
Sir Henry Bishop, who, to the disgrace of his country, was
nearly dying of destitution, and would have done so, had it
pa not been for the ex -ns 'of one member of this
Glee Club, who, by is deistance and endeavours,
although he had mu "to 4outend with, succeeded
in rendering his closing moments happy. When we
recollect the position iu which the widow is placed,
it becomes us to exert ourselves in endeavouring to place
her who is left behind, by our subscriptions or otherwise,
in such a position that will enable her to earn an honest
livelihood. lam aware that there are some persons who
may blame Mr. 'Udell for not having taken care when he
had a better opportunity; but, now, that is not for us to
say a word about, because he has now gone to his account,
but I understand from his wife, that the latter
years of his life—wince his second marriage—has
been spent in domestic peace and true happiness, and
she says that his hand and his heart were always open to
r dieve the distress of others. If such was the case let us
apply the same charity to him as he had done to others, and
endeavour all we can to relieve the poor widow. I believe,
and I am sorry to say, that she is at present in a position
that she will shortly have an increase in her family ; but
I have no doubt, without a very large subscription
she will be able to get a living, and will not in future
become troublesome to her friends. It is for )ou to consi-
der the best means to promote that object, but, I believe, at
present there is only one means proposed, and that is to
raise a subscription, and iu order to do that we must form a
committee.

- After some conversation, the Chairman announced several
subscriptions that he had received, and on the motion of
Mr. Caffaratta, seconded by Mr. Crosthwaite, the following
gentlemen were elected as a committee for carrying out the
object of the meeting—Messrs. J. Holme, J. Smith, J.
Radley, W. P. Jeffery, T. Thomas, H. Dodd, J. Arm-
strong, Herr Herrman, Thin, Woodruff, J. Kitchen, J.
Wagstaff, Lorgbottom, and Horsley, with power to add
to their number.

Mr. D. Crosthwaite consented to act as treasurer to the
fund ; and the money already subscribed was handed over
to him.

Mr. Radley then suggested the appointment of a sub-
committee, and kindly offered the use of his room for their
use. He also suggested that a concert should be given in
St. George's Hall, at a future time.
After the arrangement of some business details, the
meeting broke up.

CONVERSAZIONE OF THE LIVERPOOL
CHEMISTS' ASSOCIATION.

Last night a conversazione was held in the Royal Institution,
Colquitt street, under the auspices of the above society, to
celebrate the opening of the Museum of Materia Medics and
Chemistry belonging to the Association. A very numerous
and fashionable company assembled on the occasion.
The entire suite of rooms of the Royal Institution ;
including the Museum of the Chemists' Association, the
Gallery of Art, including the Gallery of Paintings,
which was illuminated for the first time with gas, anti
the Museum of Applied Science, were all thrown open
for promenade and the inspection of the objects of interest
with which they ware filled. Through these the company
.sauntered for a considerable time, some member of the associ—
tio❑ being ever at hand to explain the nature and character
of the objects exhibited. In the Museum of Applied
Science, a notice of which appeared a short time since,
in our columns, Mr. T. C. Archer, the honorary director,
received the company, and imparted to them, in reference to
the objects contained within it, much of that information with
which ho is so largely supplied.
In the geographical gallery were placed a number of
valuable microscopes, with objects of interest under view,
belonging to the following gentlemen : —Dr. Inman, Dr.
Edwards, Mr. L. Hardman, Mr. C. F. Salt, Mr, Abraham,
Mr. H. S. Evans, Mr. Cundill, and Mr. Mercer.

Stereoscopes with a large collection of views, photographs,
photogalvanographs. prints, and drawings, were distributed
through the bird and other rooms.

Fresh and salt water aquaria were exhibited by Mr. Ed-
mondson, and coloured illustrations of natural history were
placed in the zoological room.
Specimens of the proposed Atlantic telegraph cable and other
submarine cables, kindly forwarded for exhibition by S. Sta-
tham, Esq., London, were also exhibited.
Goodall's patent grinding and levigating machine, Knight's
patent soda water apparatus, and Atkinsou's electric clock were
shown in operation.
Between these exhibitions there was an agreeable interval
for promenade and music, and tea and coffee were provided in
the gallery of painting=.
At half past six o'clock the company assembled in the
Lecture Hall of the Institution, when the president of the
Association, Mr. Abraham, delivered a brief address explana-
tory of the programme fir the evening, and concluded by
introducing to their notice Mr. Jacob Bell, president of the
Pharmaceut cal Society of Great Britain.
Mr. Bell briefly addressed the company on the importance
of men engaged in the dispensation of medicine being properly
educated, and called on the public at largo to aid the Phar-
maceutical Society in accomplishing that end.
Photographs of s Latin, the moon, and the crater of Copernius,
copied for the occasion by Mr. Berry, from the results of recent
observations kindly furnished by John Hartnup, Esq , of the
Liverpool Observatory, were then exhibited by means of the
Oxyhydrogen Light, and accompanied with explanatory ob
servations from Mr. George Hamilton, F.C.S.,
At nine o'clock, the museum of the association having been
previously opened by the president and council, Mr. Hamilton
delivered a lecture on the gyroscope and rotatory motion,
illustrated by models and experiments; and he was followed
by Dr. Edwards, who lectured on the chemistry of Bessemer's
iron process, with illustrative experiments and illuminated
diagrams.

Better lectures on these subjects could not have been given.
Though brief, they were to the point, and so lucid as to be
plain and simple to the uninitiated in the sciences. Both
gentlemen, at the conclusion of their .discourses, received the
hearty applause of the company, to whose delight and instruc-
tion they bad so largely ministered.
The company did not separate until close on eleven o'clock,
and all pronounced themselves well pleased with the enter-
tainment which the association had provided them.

THE HOUSE DUTY.—The house duty in the year ended
the 31st March last was £728,689.

Letters from Turin state that at the opening of the Pied-
montese Parliament a bill will be presented for a loan of
50 000,000 of livres.
GREAT ROBBERY OF BANK NOTES.—Notices have been
issued cautioning the public against receiving or negotiating
the following notes of the Bank of England, viz, 400 for
£5 each, dated 14th October, 1856, and numbered from
54,951 to 55,350 ; and 100 for £lO each, dated 9th Oct.,
1856, and numbered from 92,001 to 92,100.
SUDDEN DEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED PORTUGESE.-All
Lisbon is talking about the sudden death of Dam Alvaro
Henriques Roma, a getaloman who was noted for being one
of the fewest" mm in Portugal. He inherited throuzh
his wife, who died about a veer ago, the interest on the
ialtn3nse f a-tune amassed by Senor Lino da Silveira, a well
known merchant, and, his means being ample, lie enjoyed to
the full the many luxuries they placed at his command
Among other things be had a I tad of English horses, and
the other day, when driving two of them down the Rua S.
Bente, just as the vessels of war in the Tagus were saluting,
the animals took fright and &shed away at a Itremendous
pace ; the groom and D Alvaro threw themselves from
the vehicle, the servant escaped unhurt, but his master
injured his head so severely that he died the next morning
at his mother's house, which stands a short distance from
the scene of the disaster. It is said this sad event occurred
on the anniversary of the death of his wife, and that he was
returning from church, where he had been hearing mass for
the repose of her soli.