The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-23 00:00:00

The Music-Hall Provident Society.

Yesterday afternoon a number of gentlemen connected
with the music-hall profession, and others who support and
patronise that species of amusement, met at Weston 'S
Music Hall, which was kindly lent by the proprietors?
Messrs. Sweasey and Holland, for the occasion, in order to
organise a society for assisting decayed and distressed
membe:s of the music-hall profession by the erection of
almshouses and the establishment of a provident society.
Mr. W. HOLLAND hav:-ig been voted to the chair, stated
that for years past he had endeavoured to sketch out some
plan whereby the distress which persons connected with
music-halls occasionally fell into might be in some degree
relieved and a home provided for them in their declining
years. While considering that subject he had ever in his
mind the Royal Dramatic College, and he could never see
why, if the members of the dramatic profession had est.s-
blished such an institution for themselves, the members
of the music-hall profession could not do the same. There
was one thing clear, that singing in music-halls was much
more injurious to health than performing on the stage ;
and common sense must therefore dictate to every one,that
those who sang in those halls were entitled to at least as
much, if not more,, compassion and sympathy as those who
performed on the stage, for whom provision had already
been made. After giving some consideration to the matter,
ho had, in conjunction with Mr. P. Co: fi, convened some
friends for considc:iug the subject. Several gentlemen
attended on that occasion, and the present meeting No°
the result of their deliberations. Before they separated be
was confident that they would put matters in train for
the establishment of an asylum, or, if they pleased so to
call it, a college. Their number now was very large in
comparison to those connected with the stage, for the
number of music-halls had increased throughout the
counts; to a yea/ large extent. He did not wish to wen"
tion the numbers, but ho believed they had increased ten-
fold in comparison with the dramatic profession. It was
therefore all the more necessaii that seine substantial and
permanent provision should bo made fcr them, and he ta asted
the present meeting would result in a resolution to that
effect.

Mr. GEAR :Es SLOnAN stated that being the oldest mem-
ber of the profession present, with the exception of Mr.
Page, the managing director of the Marylebono Music Hallo
who was contemporaneous with him, he believed, he had
great pleasure in moving the first resolution: In 1825 the
first music• hall was erected at what was called the Rotunda,

in illackfriars-road. The music-hall profession had since
grown to a very great extent. It comprised an immense
number of individuals, many of whom when their energies
jailed them were plung,,d into great distress. Every ono
knew that the music-hall profession was hard work. A
man might spend twenty years of his life in it, and having
amused the public all that time, might be told that he was
getting too old, and that his services were no longer of any
use. That, in fact, was an every-day occurrence; for when
a man became unfit fo: work in those places a kind of Ma-
laria, seemed to gather round him; and he was shunned and
neglected by every one. That, however, showed the neces-
sity for their providing for the members of their own pro-
fession and of protec'.ing them in their distress and in
their old age. Of necessity, therefore, they were compelled
to have such a place of refuge, and he hoped that in the':
efforts to obtain it they would show the same pluck and
determination which the Dramatic College people had

done, and that before long, by well-direjedanciunani-
moos efforts, they would have an institution appros"
mating to the one he had mentioned. He had, therefore,
to move that an institution be established under the title
of the Music-hall Provident Society, having for its object!
the builOzng of almshouses, and otherwise affording relic,'
to decayed and distressed members of the music-hall
profess'on.
Mr. W. PAGE has:ng seconded the resolution,
Mr VILLIERS said, as ho read the rules of the society
which had been already established in relation to the Dra"

mat•ic College, he understood that decayed members of the
music-hail profession were eligible for election !nto it.
M. J. W. ANSON, the secretary of that society, and of the
Dramatic, Equestr;an, rud Music Benefit Society, replied
that they were not. The chaff ter of incorporation of the col-
lege distinctly stated that those entitled tD admission into it
must have been at least 20 years in the dramatic profession,
and not bo less than 50 years of age. In regard to the sidc
fund, it no doubt embraced all those connected with the
musical profession, and what he wanted to know Wile
whether this society was intendel to clash with it. Ile
had formed the institution himself, and he naturally felt
interested on tha point. If the promoters of the present
movement did not intend to encroach upon his society,
then he could pledge himself, on the pact of the directors
of that institution, that they would go hand in hand with
them, and that so far as the s'ck fund was concerned, they
would accept of cei lain gentlemen who they might appoint
as their representatives upon their board of management•

(Hear, hear.) As to thei7 proposition to erect almshouses,
or a college, which was the title they had adopted, for the
decayed members of the profession, he highly commended
it, and he could almost assure them that should they roW
in ono boat together as regarded the sick fund, the directoro
of his society would vote them a handsome allowance to-
wards the erection of the almshouses, or college. (near)
Tho CHAIRMAN said, as having taken an active interest
in the getting up of this matter, nothing could afford bi°l
greater pleasure or satisfaction tLan the remarks of Arr•
Anson. Ho could assure that gentleman.that the present
movement was not at all intended to interfere with his or-
ganisation. He might state at the same time, for the satis-
faction of those present, that they had got the promise of
the gift of a piece of ground, while Messrs. Finch,
and Paraire, the architects of Oxford-street, had given
them plans of the builßinga, and had volunteered to super-
intend the erection of the works nee of expense. (Ilea::
hear.) He had also the satisfaction to state that Mr. 0"
Aubyn, the solicitor to the Licensed Victuallers' Protection
Society, had readily given his services, as their solicitor,
free of charge; and with all these matters in their favoia
he bad no doubt that they would get on successfully. ,11°
might also state that he had received letters from -51 r
Charles Morton and Mr. F. Strange, both expressing their
approval of the objects of the meeting.
The resolution was then put from the chair and unsui-
mously adopted.
Mr. ARTHUR LLOYD next moved that a committee be itr
pointed for the purpose of preparing rules for the regula-
tion
of such a society, and the carrying out of the ()Wee'
contemplated by it, tho same to be submitted to a future
general meeting.
Mr. P.,Count having seconded the !notion, it was unani-
mously adopted.
A committee was then appointed, with Mr W. Selland
as chairman, Mr. F. Strange as vice-chairman, and 4- •
O'Hara as honorary secretary.
The proceedings terminated with a cordial veto of than°
to the chairman.

EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENT IN THE LOSS OF TO
LADY STEWART.—WC have received the following
extraordinary statement from Mr. Wm. Tully, the eaPtain:,
of the unfortunate vessel Lady Stewart, which foundereu
a few days since, when the crew bad to take to their Nat'l'
He says, " When we were picked up by the brig Norkepf
the captain of her, Mr. Petersen, spoke to me, and said veep
singularly, that for a considerable time before they Oug'-
sight of us in the boat, they could not keep the vessel in "
straight course, but she kept running contrary to the line
of her helm. We both asciibed the incident to an interP°:i
sition of Providence." Captain Tully also states that, ba
they drifted two hours longer, they would undOubtedlY
have got out of the course vessels generally sail in the
t
quarter, and have perished. They had all to le
in th
vi
bottom of their boat, (hitting at the mercy of the aWS'
Northern 11y Ex.pres