The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-24 00:00:00

lIARYLEBONE VESTRY.

iIS AMD WASHHOUSES FOR THE LA-
BOURLNGCLASSES-CHARGESAGAINST

SIR. PETER LAURIE.

On Saturday at a very numerous meeting of the
vestry of St. Marylebone, the Rev. Dr. Spry in the
chair.

Mr. T. H. Smith, Honourable Secretary, accom-
panied by Mr. Bell, the Secretary to the Committee
of Management of the Baths and Washhouses for the
Labouring Classes, in St. Pancras, waited upon the
vestry as a deputation, to contradict the statements
made by Sir Peter Laurie in the vestry on the
previous Saturday, as reported in the Times
of Monday last, that public plunging baths in
these institutions led to gross immorality
among the working classes, and that he had
witnessed on a visit to the above baths fourteen or
fifteen, great fellows, stark naked, indulging in the
most disgusting gambols in the water. Mr. Smith
said these statements were wholly without founda-
tion, and calculated to inflict great injury on the
useful institution alluded to. The St. Pancras Baths
and Washhouses had been established by voluntary
subscription, and were conducted by a committee of
gentlemen, chiefly composed of the clergy of St.
Pancras, and therefore he was sure the vestry would
believe that they did not countenance anything like
immorality.—(Elear.) The fact was that round the
plunging baths boxes were erected, with doors four
feet hih, for bathers to dress and undress in, and no
Per so:. vas permitted to bathe without wearing a pair of
dra,,ers similar to those he now produced. The large
plunging bath was calculated to accommodate forty
bathers at one time, and the smaller one twenty-five.
He (Mr. Smith) had himself accompanied Sir Peter
Lauri-- over the establishment, and at that time in-
stead of fifteen or sixteen great fellows, there was but
one person in the large bath, ts ho had just got out,
and three or four lads in the smaller baths.
In answer to Mr. George Daniell, and other mem.-
bers of the vestry, -
Mr. SMITH stated that upwards of 70,000 persons
had bathed at the St. Pancras establishment since
August last, and he never heard a single complaint of
immorality or disgusting gambols amongst the work-
ing classes, who were the parties chiefly benefitted by
the establishment. He considered the assertion a
gross libel upon the working classes.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. PETAL LAURIE regretted the absence.of Sir
Peter Laurie, who was forced to attend a Committee
of Privileges held that day in the city. He thought
the gentlemen of the deputation had not dealt fairly
with Sir Peter Laurie, in not having read to the
vestry the letter which the secretary of the baths and
washhouses had written to Sir Peter Laurie on this
subject, and the reply he had made thereto. He (Mr.
Laurie) would however do so. They were as
follow :

" Baths and Washhouses Committee-room

" Sir,—The attention of the Committee of this
establishment has been called to a speech of yours in
yesterday's Time.?, in which you are reported to state,
that upon visiting these swimming baths you wit-
nessed disgusting gambols on the part of the bathers.
The Committee do not doubt the above report is in-
correct, and therefore that you will give them an op-
portunity of contradicting a statement which must
necessarily prejudice the establishment in public opi-
nion. Your early reply will oblige, Sir, your obe-
dient servant,

" JOHN BELL, Secretary.
" To Sir Peter Laurie, Kniit."
To this Sir Peter wrote the lowing reply :
"7, Park•square, 19th May, 1847.
" Sir,—l have to acknowledge your letter of the
18th instant, and in reply, to state that, although the
report in the Times to which you refer is accurate as
to the number seen bathing, there being but few men
Li the plunging bath when I was present, it expressed
my opinion correctly.
" I used the terms you quote in consequence of
what I saw ; at the same time I consider the low
compartments in which a considerable number of men
undress and dress themselves, all but publicly in each
others sight, quite insufficient for preserving that
decency which I am certain the Committee are desi-
rous of maintaining, and for securing which in other
respects they consider it prudent to have a guard con-
stantly on duty during the day, and when gas light is
required.

ri From circumstances which are forced upon my
notice, a 3 a magistrate, I feel convinced that public
plunging baths are very objectionable, and likely to
produce consequences which are much to be depre-
cated, and I was anxious to dissuade the vestry of
Marylebone from making a public plunging bath any
par* ;,f their plan.

I regr't that the report did not state that with the
exception of the plunging bath, I expressed my entire
appruval of the arrangements of the committee.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
" John Bell, Esq." "P. LAURIE.
Now having read these letters he (Mr. P. Laurie)
would contend that they put a very different com-
plexion on the matter, but he (Mr. P. Laurie) agreed
with his relative, Sir Peter, that these public
plunging baths were likely to lead to immorality and
crime, only known to the police and to those who
were called upon to perform the functions of magis •
tratei in this metropolis. Why even the managers
of these baths themselves are obliged to employ a
man. to look after the bathers.

Mr. G. DANIELL said that it was a most important
point to be cleared up. If it was necessary to have a
man employed to watch the conduct of the bathers, it
was clearly an argument why these public plunging
baths should not be carried out. He would ask the
gentlemen, therefore, if the immoral conduct of the
working► cusses, whilst bathing, was such as to re-
quire the surveillance of an officer.
Sanyo begged to assure the vestry that such
was not the case. A man was employed, but it was
in case of sudden illness in the water, and in case of
any accident to persoas unable to swim.—(Hear.)
In answer to further questions, the members of the
deputation stated, that although the two plunging
baths were ealculAed to afford accommodation to 66
persons, the number bathing at one time never
averaged more than 20.
Mr. STANDFORD thought the statements of Sir
Peter Laurie had had a most satisfactory contradic-
tion, and the vestry having almost unanimously con-
curred in an opinion that the statements made by the
worthy Alderman were groundless, the deputation
withdrew, and the subject dropped.
The vestry separated shortly after.

Lord Normanby arrived at his residence in Hill-
street, Berkeley-square, on Saturday, from Paris, ac-
companied by the Countess, on a short visit to London.
lle will return to Paris in a fortnight, to resume
his diplomatic functions at the French Court.
There is a., truth whatever in the rumour of hi,
Excellency's retirement from the British Embassy
Paris. It is inc rrectly stated in some of the papers
that Colonel Romilly is appointed Chargé d'Affaires
during the absence of the British Minister. That post
is fid,-d by Lord William Hervey. the Secretary to the
Embassy. Colonel Romilly is Lord Normanby's Private.
Sccrrtary.
FEARFUL ACCIDENT IN THE GRAY'S INN-ROAD.------
Fri,lac as youth of twelve years of age was knocked
do.v's and run over by horses attached to a carriage.
br, ;,,.k driven by a person named Richards. The poor
b Jy, illferinz from a compound fracture of the skull,
was immediately conveyed to the Royal Free Hospital.
in the Gray's Inn read, where the operation of trephin-
ing was immediately and successfully performed, and the
youth is now doing exceedingly well.
SUPPOSED DEATH OF AN AGED FEMALE FROM
FIRE.—Oz Friday information was forwarded to Mr.
T. Wekley, M.P., coroner, of the death of Mrs. Mary
Tedrean, ageei 70, under the following circumstances:—
It ems that the deceased, a widow, residing at No. 8,
B • c,onabury.market, was, about eleven o'clock on the
night of Wednesday last, suddenly alarmed by a fire
which broke out in her room. owing to the bed curtain,
having caught fire from the candle. and which, but for
the prompt assistance rendered, would have proved fear-
fully destructive. The fire was, however, speedily ex-
tinguished, but the deceased was on the following morn-
iin dead in her bed, the presumption being that
death was the result of fright, consequent upon the shoek
occasioned by the outbreak.
MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.—On Tuesday week, at
Stoke St. Mary, near Taunton, a woman was found
hanging from a tree in the middle of the adjoining copse.
The rope, which was 10 feet in length, was doubled
round her neck four times, and the height of the branch
was only five feet and a half from the ground ; a weight
of 201ba. would bring the branch to the ground. She was
discovered by a man named Clode, as he was passing
thedwo wood under the copse and he immediately cut her
She was in a kneeling position, and her feet
restend on the ground. Notwithstanding the agony she
must have felt by strangulation, while the weight of her
body was on the ground
a struggle was denot nd
, not the slightest appearance of
sin the grass ; and her boots
were perfectly clean, whiche wouldsi not have been the
case had she travelled far. ewasßnever seen in tile
parish before, save by a man named
that he saw a person answering who states
d—eacihp'tion walking
on the previous evening at the bottomesociithe copse, and
about 180 yards from the spot where
was respectably attired,there butan anything
her
she was found.
The deceased
linen was marked, neither was
person to give the remotest clue to her identifica'tioono.hlenr
her pocket were found ss. od., together with two
There were no marks of violence on the body but a red
mark round the neck. She appeared to be about 25
years of a.2e. The coroners jury returned an open ver-
dict of " Found hung."—Localpaper.
TEETOTALLERS AT FAULT.—In Edinburgh, last
week, a person brought his wife to the police-office, on a
charge of habitual drunkenness. The wife, stung by the
complaints of the husband, retorted, "You're no sober your-
eel', man." "Me no sober!" exclaimed the man, "it's
four
months the noo sin' I joined the Teetotal Society, and I only
fell through last week a wee; but you wasna joined a week,
woman, till you began to smuggle, and you're scarcely ever
been sober sine. There's waur members o' the sociery than
me ; but as for you, you're a disgrace to a' connected wi 't."
" Hand your whei:ht, man; I keepit steady enough till I got
baud o' a drop o' your ain, one Sunday, that ve had bidden
in a corner, whaur ye thought I wadna look for't." " Eh,
Jean, was't you that stealt that ? That's waur than ever—
ye deserve to be sent to Bridewell for that itsel'—lock her
tip, policeman." The police, however, refused to interfere,
and dismissed them both.