The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-02 00:00:00

CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE

TWENTY-NINTH OF MAY.

PROCESSION OF THE SHIP CARPENTERS

The anniversary of the restoration of King Charles 11.
was, on Friday last, commemorated in this town in a man-
ner amply demonstrative of that loyalty and of those genu-
ine constitutional principles which have seated the present
dynasty on the throne of these realms, and from the main-
tenance of which can alone be anticipated the full establish-
ment of our national honour, prosperity, and independence.
The demonstration of feeling in behalf of the Protestant
cause was general throughout the town, but, in accordance
with ancient custom, the honour of a public procession was
borne by that useful and numerous class of workmen the
shipwrights and ropernakers, and the apprentices to those
respective trades so indispensable to the welfare of a port
second to none in the kingdom in maritime and commercial
enterprise and exertion.

The bustle of preparation commenced at an early hour in
the morning, and all became speedily on the qui vive. Flags
were hoisted on the towers of the churches, and as the day
advanced, the streets became gay by a similar display from
numerous public buildings; schools, inns, and private
houses. The newspaper and publishing offices, attached to
the conservative cause, were conspicuous in this respect, and
the shipping in the docks and river was not behind-hand,—
•ensigns and pendants freely floating in the breeze. The
younger branches of the community enjoyed a holiday, and
numerous were the infantine and pleasing representations of
King Charles borne along the streets by senior playmates
embowered by yet delicately green " boughs of oak." A
hkrge portion of the community, indeed, considered the day
as a festival, and lent their aid to promote the general good
feeling. Young and old, rich and poor, both of the town
and neighbouring country, thronged the several great tho-
rough-fares in " living streams," or congregated at corners
and points whence they could obtain a view of the proces-
sional display. The weather was clear, sunny, and enliven-
ing, with a breeze from the N.W., that rendered Walking
agreeably cool, though rather too brisk occasionally for the
easy display of the numerous flags carried in the procession.
The numerous members of the Shipwrights' Association,
and their copartners, the Ropers, assembled in Williamson-
square, at nine o'clock, and the whole ground and its outlets
became crowded by a dense number of spectators. The flags
and banners were very numerous, the bands played national
airs, and the whole presented a gay and interesting appear-
ance. Soon after ten they formed in procession,' and pro-
ceeded to Christ Church, according to previous arrange-
ment, that church being one of the largest in the town.

DIVINE SERVICE.
The spacious edifice was crowded in every part by a seri-
ous and attentive congregation. The usual morning service,
and the prayers appointed for the occasion, were most im-
pressively read by the Rev. Mr. Mansfield, after which the
Rev. Fielding Ould ascended the pulpit for the purpose of
delivering the annual sermon. The rev. gentleman selected
as his text the Mir verse of the •42d Psalm—" The Lord of
Hosts is with us ; tile God of Jacob is our refuge." The
discourse, which was principally of an exhortative character,
appeared to produce a great impression.

TIIE PROCESSION.

Immediately after attending divine service the members of
the society again ranged themselves in marching array, in
Hunter-street, and proceeded, with flags and music, to make
the circuit of the principal streets. In every quarter colours
were shown from houses and windows to welcome their ap-
proach, and they greeted. the parties who displayed them
with repeated shouts of applause. The thoroughfares were
crowded from end to end with dense masses, amongst whom
the Lancashire witches, both of high and humble station,
shone consiiicuous. The windows were also replete with
spectators, and numerous were the green branches of the
British oak exhibited in commemoration of the day. In the
wider streets, and particularly in Dale-street, in the area of
the Exchange, in Castle-street, and in Lord-street, their ap-
pearance was exceedingly imposing. The whole of the mem-
bers were neatly dressed, for the most part in blue coats, and
the apprentices in round jackets and white trousers, and
looked as highly respectable as they are a highly important
portion of our population.
The procession was headed by a well-dressed military
band, followed by a large and beautiful silk flag—the royal
standard,—suspended, as were all the large flags, between
two poles, steadied by cords held by parties in advance and
behind the bearers. This flag—costly, trimmed with yellow
silk—was, we believe, shown on this occasion for the second

time only. The motto on the scroll at the top was—" For
God, our Queen, and our Country." On the second flag,
which was bordered with crimson silk, and borne by the
shipwrights, was, on one side, a well-painted large figure of
Charles 11., mounted on a spirited steed, richly caparisoned ;
on the obverse was a picture of the same monarch in the act
of mounting the oak tree. The third flag was that presented
some years ago to the society by General Gascoyne, with a
rich blue ground, on which were represented the Liverpool
arms, the arms of the gallant general, and the shipwrights'
arms. It was fringed with red silk, and is still in good preser-
vation. Military bands preceded all the larger flags, playing
the national anthem, Rule Britannia, and other appropriate
strains. The intermediate flags and banners were countless,
and many of them very effective. Amongst them were many
British ensigns and union-jacks, and on the tops of the poles
were crowns, models of vessels, hulls, steering wheels, and
a variety of other insignia. The fourth large flag, a new one,
bore a picture of the Duke of Wellington mounted, remark-
ably well painted : motto—" May we always have a Wel-
lington, to guard our native land." A blue silk flag fol-
lowed, representing in gold a ship on the stocks, with several
appropriate devices. Another fine one bore the shipwrights'
arms. The bands in various parts of the procession were
all dressed in their respective uniforms, and gave an agree-
able variety to the whole. Amongst the models carried was
one of a fully-rigged ship, with colours flying, which attract-
ed deserved attention. The rope-makers followed the ship-
wrights, and were preceded by a fine large flag, bearing on
one side a full-length picture of the gallant Nelson, and
on the other a striking representation of the death of
that illustrious hero, on the deck of the Victory. Fol-
lowing this was a flag representing Queen Katherine indus-
triously occupied at a spinning wheel. On the obverse was
a view of a rope-walk, with spinners at work. Next came
a band composed of youths with fifes and bugle horns; fol-
lowed, as we learned, by a band of blockmakers, with appro-
priate flags, and each with an appropriate head or bunch of
hemp on the top of the pole. The St. George's Association
brought up the rear, preceded by a band of music, and a num-
ber of flags, amongst which was conspicious the red cross on
a white ground, of their patron saint. The Ita:alsome flag
belonging to the conservatives of Lime-street Ward, lettered
in gold on a blue ground, was also prominent in the proces-
sion. Many of the carpenters -bore large axes, resembling
the formidable and heavy tool used by them in the building
yards • but they were merely made of wood, and served when
flourished to keep back without injuring the obstructing
crowds. All in the procession wore red and blue rosettes,
appended from the neck by ribbons of the same colour. The
number of shipwrights who walked was between eight and
nine hundred, the ropers from two hundred and fifty to three
hundred, and the apprentices about four hundred and fifty.
The procession took the route from Christ Church along the
principal streets to Williamson-square, from which they re-
tired to their several inns and club-rooms, where they passed
the evening in a convivial meeting. The procession was well
arranged and perfectly orderly throughout. The bells con-
tinued to send forth occasional peals throughout the day,
and the streets were thronged until dusk by young and old
in their best attire, who had embraced the occasion of enjoy-
ing a sort of holiday.
The St. George's Association sat down to a plentiful din-
ner at the George the Fourth Inn, Hood-street. A variety
of loyal and constitutional toasts were given, and some ex-
cellent addresses were delivered. Similar proceedings took
place at the other meeting houses ; and it is as gratifying to
us to have to state, as it is wormwood and gall for our oppo-
nents to hear, that this important anniversary passed off in
the most orderly and peaceable manner.