The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-12-29 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THE WORKHOUSE.

The inmates of the Workhouse, aboat 1750 in numbei were
regaled on Christmas day with a substantial good old English
'dinner of roast beef and plumb pudding. Of the. former article
20321b5. was prepared, and of the latter 11001bs., both of excel-
lent quality, to which was added a pint of strong ale served'
round to each person. At the head of the women's table at
Margaret Tarlton, aged 82, who has been 32 years in the house;
and during that time never broke 'a single Yule of the establish-
ment, or received the slightest:reprimand for any part of her
'conduct.' AU'Other old woman, Jane Berrington, also excited
great interest from the visitors. In February next she will be
403 years. old, and is now. in perfect health, and,apPeared in
excellent spirits.> -Shelia, only been supported six-years tlie
cast of the parish. . . •
• The president of the men's table was David Cross, a'rnan
weighing 22 ptone (3081bs !) -He has been nine years in the
,Workhouse,,and, like Margaret Tarlton, is much respected for
the excellence'of- his conduct, for during that period he too has
never been subjected-to a single rebuke. :
Before the dinner grace was said by a blind man, who also
returned thanks after the.repast was ended. The national an-
them was then sung by Messrs. Gillow, Cearns and Heushall,
and Mrs. Pillow, Mrs. Lerman, and Miss Cassidy, and perhaps
was never sung vith finer effect. As-soon as the cheering hid
subsided,— • ; • -.

Mr. G. H. LAwaENcE, one of the churchwardens, shortly ad
dressed the poor assembled in the hall to the fallowing effect—
My good friends, I hope you will allow me the privilege of ad-
dressing a few words to you, in order to express the pleasure I
feel in witnessing your enjoyment of the comforts provided for
you. Kneed not remind you that thiiplace of refuge, to which
yOu have resorted, and others may fly to in their old age, or,
when 'overtaken by other calamities to which we are. all alike
subject, has been prepared for you by the humanity of the laws
of England. (Cheers.) To these; therefore, you owe a debt of
gratitude, and such of you as may again be in a situation to live
upon the fruits of your own labour elsewhere, it will, I hope, be
an incentive for implicit obedience to those. laws which protect
alike the indigent and the affluent, the weak and the strong.—
(Cheers.) lam quite sure that you duly appreciate the un-
needed kindness and attention to your comforts and the pre-
servation of good order among you, (without which you could
not enjoy any comfort,) manifested in the conduct of Mr. Dow-
dall, the governor of the Workhouse, whose health I now beg
leave to propose to you. (Loud cheering.) Mr. DowQl's
health was then-drank by the men and women With three cheers.
Mr. DownAi:r: thanked them for this mark of their respect
and good feeling 'towards him, and promised that no effort of
his, consistent with, his duty to the parish, should be wanting to
contribute to the happiness of all who were confided to his care.
(Loud cheerio:)
Mr. WimuNsori then rose and proposed the health of Mrs.
Dowdall, which was dra;llc 'with equal enthusiasm. - '

About two o'clock a simple banquet was provided in the large
room over the dining-hall for the infant part of the establisment,
to each of whom an mange, a slice of plum-pudding, and a cup
of new milk was given. In this room, the ladies and gentlemen,
who had previously been singing it to the adults, repeated
" God save the King" to this juvenile audience, about 400- in
number, who joined in the chorus, and gave a shout at its conclu.
siori which will be long remembered by all who heard it.
Although in some respeOs the Workhouse dinner was a me-
lancholy sight—,-for it is difficult to contemplate unmoved 1750
paupers congregated in one house, among whom there may,
perhaps, tie some who owe theit mistortuiieslo then, vices of their
`follies—yet, vvkieu the sum of_ human misery which is there re-
lieved, if not altogether removed, is taken into consideration, a
more pleasing train of thought is engendered, and the heart must
be dead to all feeling 'for htiman suffering, and cold indeed to'
the wretchedness which must accomPany actual want, that could
wish to destroy these asylums for the poor and the needy:
We cannot dismiss this subject without thanking the ladies and
gentlemen who so kindly attended fur the purpose of singing
"God save the King." They never sang it better, and never
will sing it With..better effect..