The Sun. — 1849-06-04 (London, England)

LOYAL UNITED FRIENDS.  On Monday 1-. st an excursion of the members of this highly respectable social body took place to Rye 11 use, Hoddes.lon, Hertfordshire, on which occai.ion between seven and eight hundred ladies anal gentlemen left the Short ditch station of the Eastern Counties Railway shor:ly after tea o'clock, and proceeded to the Eye House station, e hero they arrived at about half- past eleven. The Rye House is situated on the banks of the river Lea tilibin one hundred yards of the railway station near Hodiesden, and is famous in English history as having been the place where a pretended conspiracy was design, d, proposing to take the life of King Charles the Seconi. This OA was made the engine by the corrupt Parliament of that period to effect the judicial murder of those martyrs for freedom and liLerty, Lord Russell and Algernon Sydney. The ruins of the Rye House are still in good preservation, as are also those ot Netherhall, a mansion or rather a lodge to a castle ot the time of Henry the Eighth. A shirt distance on the banks of the river Lea, is the interesting village of Amwell, where aro the Shadwell Springs, the source of the New Rivet, with the urn and tomb of Sir flugh Middleton, that great benefactor who spent the whole of his fortune in bringing the New River water to London. After the company had alighted from the train and reached the Rye House, the rain pouring in torrents all the time (in fact a worse day has not occurred for some years past) they proceed ed to do justice to their appetites, but were compelled in consequence of the bad weather to remain within doors instead of enjoying themselves in boating, angling, cricket, trap-ball, archery, &c., as they had done on a previous occasion. In the course of the afternoon a considerable portion of the party assembled in the long room, P.S.P. Robertson, presiding chairman, and supported among others by P.P. Burgess, P.S.P. Spearing, P.P. Jaques, P.S.l'. Watson, P.P. Hughes, P.S.P. Burns, P.P. Watson, P.S.P. Bull, P.P. Studd, P.P. Weatherly, P.P. Holder, P.S P. Wells, P.P. Woodman, P.P. Shiers, P.D. Dormer, P.D. Francis, D. Wilson, P. Perry, Treasurer Payne, and P.S.P. Price, treasurer of the relief fund. The chairman, in a few appropriate words, proposed the health of her Majesty the Queen, which was received with much applause. after which he gave the health of Treasurer Price, which was well received; then followed the health of the chairman; this toast was acknowledged by Mr. Robertson, in his usual spirited style. Secretary Crawley gave a brief statement of the receipts and expenditure of the " Friend in Need" fund, for the benefit of which the excursion took place. After a few more toasts had been given, and properly respinded to, P.P. Dean caused a large balloon (round which were the words "Thanks to all Friends") to ascend in the air. Several excellent songs were sung by Messrs. Townsend, Perkins, Murrell, and Smart, and although "the very unpropitious state of the weather, was calculated to dampen the spirits of the party, yet they maintained their tempers to the last, and everything passed off extremely well. Much credit is due to Treasurer Price, P. P. Watson (No. 5), P. P. Weatherly, and P. P. Jaques, for their unremitting attention to the comforts of the company, and the assiduous attention of Mr. Chairman Robertson was beyond all praise. The company left the spacious and beautiful gardens shortly after eight o'clock, and arrived in town between nine and ten, the rain coming down much faster than it did in the morning; had it been a fine day, more than 1,000 persons were expected on the excursion.