The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-05 00:00:00

IMPORTANT TO BRICKMAKERS.

A case of great importance was, on Friday, brought. before
Mr. Rushton, connected with the foolish strike of the brick-
makers, most of whom have been idling away the last few
weeks, to the detriment both of themselves and their employ-
ers. The following facts will explain the nature of the case,
which is not a strike for wages, but the result of a resolution
of the Journeymen Brickmakers' Union, to which the mas-
ters have seen fit to demur. The whole court was densely
crowded with the turnouts, and many of the masters were also
present. John Williams, John Cosgrove, 'Michael Duffey,
George Morecroft, Samuel Daniels, '4Villiam Harrison, John
Tomkinson, and John Thompson, were placed at the bar,
charged by Messrs. Samuel and James Holme with having
absented themselves from work, having previously contracted
to make bricks for the season, at certain prices, and in
moulds of a certain size.

Mr. Samuel Holme having been sworn, deposed that John
Williams was in his and his brother's employments—that
Williams; as well as the others, had commenced the prepara-
tion of his clay at the end of last autumn, by casting or
throwing up—that during the whole of the winter months
everything went on satisfactorily, weekly wages being ad-
vanced on account of the work performed—no objections
being ever made by any man either to the prices or the size
of the moulds. A few weeks ago when it was necessary to
commence moulding the bricks, but whilst the men were
levelling the ground, which they did by the day, he received
a note dated the 10th April, 1840, stating, " that in accor-
dance with a resolution passed the day before, the brick-
makers of Liverpool would cease to work with any mould
containing more than 150 cubic inches of clay when wet,
after Saturday, the 11th instant." This note was signed by
John Roberts and James Mawdsley, " secretaries to the
committee." The evening, before paying them their wages,
Mr. Holme told them that he would not permit them to go
on with any more day work until he had an assurance that
they would work with the usual sized moulds, such as were
customary. To this they did not seem to object, and on
the Monday evening many of them came to the office and
stated that they were walking about against their will, and
that they would go to work if dared. Amongst others
who made this remark was Harrison, one of the defendants.
They, however, all consented to enter into an agreement, in
writing, to go to work, after having had a long conversation
with Mr. Holme, who remonstrated with them on the folly
of their conduct, and after having signed the contract, all the
other men came up to the office, including the defendants,
and voluntarily entered into the written engagement. As
some of the moulds were too short for the width, Messrs.
Holme had some new moulds made, the cubical quantity of
clay which they contained being, however, considerably less
than the contents of the moulds usually employed. Having
to go from home, directions were given that when these new
moulds were ready they should b substituted; but in the
mean time, the men had been influenced by the club, and
on one of the clerks informing them that he should send up
the moulds when ready, they refused to work with them,
notwithstanding they had been made to ensure uniformity of
size in the bricks, eight or ten cubic inches less than the
moulds agreed on. Three sets of men, however, had refused
to obey the club, and had continued honestly and soberly
at their employment. notwithstanding the jeopardy in which
they were placed by their good conduct, and Mr H ohne hoped
the magistrates would give them their powerful protection.
Mr. Wardle, solicitor, who appeared for the workmen,
objected to the agreement, as it was not on stamp.
Mr. Rushton.—Your objection is futile, as the act of par-
liament does not require an agreement between master and
workmen to.be on stamp.
Richard Moore deposed that he was a clerk in the employ
of Messrs. Holme, that the agreement produced bore the
si.natures of all the defendants, and that they had absented
themselves from work after being requested to proceed.
Mr. Wardle then called Edward Moorcroft and Samuel
Earle for the defendants, but neither of them appeared.
He next called Mr. Siddel, one of Messrs. Holmes' clerks,
to endeavour to prove that the agreement had been broken
by Messrs. Holme preventing the men proceeding. It ap-
peared, however, that the contrary had been the case. The
witness deposed that during the absence of both his masters,
he had, so far from stopping the men, requested them to go
on—had reasoned with them on their folly, and had also to
make himself clearly understood, sent a special message to
them on the Monday to request that they would proceed
with the regular moulds, at least until Mr. Samuel Holmes'
return home ; but they all refused to do so, and struck work.
Mr. Rushton then addressed the defendants in a very
powerful and feeling manner, and after explaining to them
the act of parliament, which left hiin no discretion but the
painful one of committing them to the House of Correction,
amongst thieves and vagabonds, he entreated the men to go
their work according to the desire of their masters, who did
not wish to enforce the penalty of the law, unless by their
own obstinacy and blindness. He desired them to consider
their wives and families, and not exhibit a ridiculous bravado
because they might have made a foolish promise to a club.
Labour, he said, was the poor man's capital, and he had a
right to sell it on what terms he pleased, high or low. Every
man breathing had a right to do so ; and those who, by in-
timidation or threats, prevented a man's disposing of his
labour for the benefit of himself, his wife, and children, was
guilty of the grossest tyranny, and if proved against such a
person, would deservedly subject him to severe punishment.
But in their case it was altogether different. They had en-
tered into a written contract, which had been most satisfac-
torily proved on oath, and unless that contract was fulfilled,
painful as it might be to him, he should deem it his bounden
duty to commit the whole of them for the longest period
which the law admitted, taking into his consideration the
peculiar circumstances of the case. They had been ably de-
fended, and he requsted they would confer with their legal
adviser and let him know their decision.
During the time the men were conferring with Mr. Wardle,
a man of the name of Wood, who is, we are told, a ringleader
amongst the turn-outs, in a most impudent strain questioned
Mr. Rushton's decision, declared that in the law between
masters and servants there was nothing said about brick-
makers (loud laughter), and produced an article from the
Albion newspaper, stating that that was the law, and that no
brick should be moulded more than 150 cubic inches. He
ultimately conducted himself with such rudeness, that Mr.
Rushton was obliged to threaten his committal, and declared
that such a man was deserving of punishment,' as it was
evident that he was misleading better men.
After a conference of more than half an hour, the men
again came into court, and, after displaying much stupidity
and mental evasion as to the size of the moulds and other
matters, which, however, which Mr. Rushton promptly
detected, they one and all consented to go to their work.
Mr Rushton again addressed them, and told them he was
glad of their decision, and he assured them, that when they
went to work, if they were in any way molested by any other
workmen, they should have every necessary protection. The
law was strong enough to repress any breach of its provisions:
and, if it were necessary, the whole of the police force should
be ordered to protect them. He warned all those who heard
him, against interfering with them or any other men who
were willing to work, more especially such characters as that
which had just given such annoyance to the court ; and he
declared his intention of punishing, with the utmost severity,
ail who so unjustifiably and cruelly prevented an honest man
from earning his bread on any terms he chose.
Mr. Samuel Holme begged Mr. Rushton to read to the
court, which he perceived was crowded with brickmakers, the
definition of the Act 2d Victoria, as he believed many of the
workmen were influenced by the opinion that the Act required
the moulds to be within 150 cubic inches.
Mr. Rushton read to the court the " general order" of the
Board of Excise, as well as a communication from the
Secretary to the Masters, in which it appears, that by reason
of some description of clay shrinking when in the act of
drying, much more than others, it is impossible that a general
standard mould can be specified ; but that the-definition of
the act. is this, that the bricks wizen dry and ready for the
'kiln shall not contain a greater quantity of cubic inches than
150, that being the usual size of bricks, when burnt, for many
years ; whereas if the clay is only made in a mould of that
size, the bricks would be very much below the stipulation of
the act when they were dry ; and both masters and the public
who buy by the thousand would be proportionate losers. .
This, at least, appears to us, as far as we can understand
it, to be the question at issue.
Mr. Holme wished to say a few words before the !pm were
dismissed. He assured them that he should forgivetanrkd
forget the whole transaction; and when they returned_ o work
he should endeavour to make their situation and
employ-
ment as comfortable as it had hitherto been.
The whole of the defendants were then liberated.

DEPARTURE OF THE BRITISH QUEEN, FOR
NEW YORK.

It will be perceived, by the following copy of a letter from
Messrs. Garratt and Gibbon, the Agents for the Underwriters'
Association of this town, to Mr. Court, that the British
Queen left Portsmouth, for New York, at half-past four, on
Friday last. the Ist instant. She was, we hear, full of
• pas-
sengers. We beg to call the attention of our readers to the
latter part of the letter, in which Messrs. Garratt and Gibbon_
offer to take charge of letters on any similar occasion, and
put them on board the vessel for which they are intended.
" Portsmouth, May Ist, 1840.
sm—We beg to acknowledge the e pt of your es-
teemed favour of the 29th instant, with letrtecreienclosed, which
we immediately put on board the British Queen, in charge of
our clerk afloat, who depOsited it in our letter-bag, with se-
veral others we received from Liverpool the same post, which
we have acknowledged to the respective writers, whose names
we have annexed. - Many others also came without any ad-
vice; they were also all put on board. The vessel sailed at
half-past four, p.m. to-day. We are much obliged for the
suggestion, and beg you will inform the merchants and ship-
owners, generally, we shall, on similar and all other occasions,
wbeemwoilslta always hlwapapy to receive and. forward their letters, and that
advise them if they are in time or not.—Re-
maining, sir, most respectfully, your very obedient servants,
" GARRATT and GIBBON.

" Thomas Court, Esq.
" Secretary, Underwriters' Rooms, Liverpool."

A cow from Lord Clarina's pasturage, which was killed
for this market last week, yielded 13st. 41bs- talloi, and
bide 3st. bibs. The beast was sold to Mr. Rickey, vic•
tualler, for =T.—Limerick Chronicle.