New Britain herald., 1916-04-20
PlainViIle News BENJAMIN LAMB NOW
 EIGHTY YEARS OLD
We'll Known Resident Celebrates
 Anniversary of His Birth
RECALLS CHEAP BOAT RIDE

New York City For Twenty Cents
 Plan Entertainment For Bows Club
 Benefit-Shower For Bride-Elect.
 Passing the eightieth milestone in life's journey, Benjamin Lamb, an old and highly respected resident of Plainville, yesterday celebrated the anniversary of, his birth and with the mem bers of his family had a pleasant party last. evening at his home on Grown street. All his children and grand children were present and the reunion and attending celebration was a most happy one.
 Mr., Lamb was presented with a number of gifts as reminders of the occasion. Among them was a purse of gold. He occupied the place of honor at a bountiful supper served during the evening and recalled many incidents during his long career to in terest his descendants.
 MT. Lamb is a native of, England, having been born in Keighley, York
 
 try in 1872, making the trip with his wife and children by way of Mon- treal. He recalls distinctly his first trip down the Hudson river on his entrance to the United States. Two rival steamboat companies were bid ding for the business on the river and competition was so keen that the Lamb family was carried from Troy to New York city for twenty cents. MT. Lamb and his wife were each charged ten cents for transportation and their children and baggage were taken for nothing. The day follow ing their trip, the company owning the ship, went into bankruptcy.
 MT. Lamb spent a few sdays in New burgh, N. Y, and then located in Unionville where he remained until 1874 when he moved his family to Plainville. He has lived here since. He is an expert mechanic and for a number of years was employed in the plant of the Bristol Brass company. A decade ago he went into business for himself, opening a machine shop, which he has since conducted with the assistance of his sons. Despite his advanced age he is in excellent health and works at his trade every day.
 MT. Lamb has remarkable mem ory for man of his years and he can recite with out hesitation dates of numerous important incidents in his life.
 He has five children, Mrs. J. G. White of Chelsea, Mass; Mrs. Sophie l.. Dexter of this place, with whom he resides; John F. Lamb of Plain vile; Joseph F. Lamb, general man. ager of the Landers, Frary and Clark factories in New Britain and Mrs. c. B. Sechrest, also of New Britain. There are nine grandchildren, J. Ben jamin White, Joseph F. White and Lucy White of Chelsea; Merton J.. Lamb, a student fo~ the Methodist ministry at Lima, N. Y; Harold l.. Lamb of Plainvil1e; Walter T. Dexter of Plainville; Edward D. Sechrest, E. Vertner Sechrest and Beatrice Eliz- abeth Lamb of New Britain.
 Entertainment May 13.
 Committees developing the plans for the organiza ton of club for the boys and young men of the town are making arrangements for an en- tertainment to be given in the Town hall on Saturday, May IS for the benefit of the movement The pro- gram will be given by the original Swiss bell ringers now on a tour of New England under the direction of the Red Path bureau of Boston These people give a musical entertain ment of a high order and their ap- pearance here promises to be an event of some importance. It is hoped that c1JhC a will In start a treasury for the organization. Permanent organization will prob ably be effected at a meeting of the men interested in the movement to be held next week. Directors will be 1 chosen and plans will be drawn up for the conduct of the society.
 The committee now in charge of the affairs of the proposed organization has not as yet taken any action as to the manner of supervising the meet ings of the boys in the Town hall, the use of which is to be given to the or ganization. Rev J. w. Denton, who is prominently identified with the movement, believes with many others who have had any experience with clubs of this character, that it has ] but little, if any, prospect of success, 1 unless a leader to whom the boys will look up to is selected to have charge 1 of their activities. He does not think 1 the boys can be left entirely to their l own devices as there would be tim es 1 when in their youthful enthusiasm 1 they would overstep the bounds un- l less put under some restraining in- l huence. His ideas are entertained by men in cities where such clubs are in existence and it has been shown invariably that the organizations fail 1 unless men of authority are named 1 for leadership.