Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser 09 Jan 1901 The Taunton Postmen's Annual Dinner includes Councillor W. T. WEBB

Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser Wednesday 09 Jan 1901

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THE TAUNTON POSTMEN'S ANNUAL DINNER.


The postmen of Taunton and district held their fourteenth annual dinner at the Fleur de Lys Hotel on Thursday evening, and the event proved thoroughly successful. The tables were laid in the club-room of the hotel, which had been most tastefully decorated for the occasion. Prominent among the materials used for this purpose were various coloured art muslins and evergreens. The walls were also embellished with numerous appropriate mottoes such as “Success to the Taunton postmen” “God Save the Queen” “Success to our Soldiers in South Africa,” and “Welcome to all,” and behind the Chairman was displayed a banner marked “V.R., G.P.O.” The chair was occupied by Mr. S. FARRANT, and there were also present Mr. B. C. CLEAVE, Mr. F. EVERED and Mr. CULVERWELL (Superintendent), Councillors J. E. KIRKPATRICK, and W. T. WEBB, and Messrs. W. H. TROAKE, INNOCENT, W. BOND, W. PEARSE, R. SHARP (who occupied the vice-chair), W. COLEMAN, W. DYMOND, B. VINEY, B. BROWN, G. HOWE, E. BALE, W. J. BOON, A. LARWAY, J. TROAKE, R. A. FLOOD, C. H. DAVEY, W. BULLEY, J. PENNY, E. J. BOND, W. J. FLETCHER, W. BROOKS, E. J. JARMAN, J. JONES, F. J. HILL, L. E. WINTER (hon. sec.), J. MARSHALL, G. COLLARD, A. POWE, &c.

An excellent dinner was provided by Host and Hostess E. J. TYLER. After dinner,

The CHAIRMAN proposed the loyal toasts, which were heartily received, the whole company rising and singing the National Anthem and “God Bless the Prince of Wales.”

The Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces” was also submitted by the Chairman, who referred to the excellent work done in South Africa both by the Volunteers and the Imperial Yeomanry. Captain HAINS, in a letter home, stated that outside Pretoria the West Somerset Yeomany were right at the front, and when the Boers saw them they cut it. (Laughter and applause.)

Private MINCHINTON, a postman Reservist, who has recently been invalided home from the front, acknowledged the toast. He said he little thought when he attended their last dinner that he would have gone to South Africa and through what he had and back again in twelve months. He was glad to be back again, but he did not regret having gone there. He had not seen much fighting, but he had had the privilege of being in all four Colonies – Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange River Colony, and the Transvaal. (Hear, hear.) He assured them that while he was out there he would have given all he possessed for a dinner equal to the one they had had that night. Speaking of the hospitals in South Africa, he said he received every attention and the best possible food while he was in hospital. (Hear, hear.)

Apologies for inability to attend were announced from Colonel WELBY, M.P., Sir A. A. HOOD, Bart., M.P., Mr. E. THRALL (the new postmaster), Mr. G. SEARLE (president), Captain DANIEL, R.N., Captain ALLEN, Revs. A. H. A. SMITH (Lyng) and A. MONTFORD (Taunton), Hon. E. W. B. PORTMAN, and Messrs. PAYNE, WALTON, W. POTTER, G. FOWLER, W. LOCK, G. SAUNDERS, Lydeard House, E. F. PAULL, Van TRUMP, C. FARRANT, L. C. H. PALAIRET, KELLAND, J. PAINE, and the Bridgwater postmen.

The CHAIRMAN next gave “The Mayor and Corporation and the Town and Trade of Taunton.” The Mayor, he said, had discharged his duties to the entire satisfaction of everybody, and in the two representatives they had present that evening they had two gentlemen who looked after the interests of the town in every possible way.

The toast was drunk with three times three.

Councillor KIRKPATRICK first replied. Referring to the Town Hall scheme he said it was at present in the hands of a kind of Joint Stock Company, but until that Company was dissolved he did not think they would have a Town Hall. Personally he did not think they would have a Town Hall for the next 20 years, because he knew that if the ratepayers were asked to pay a 2d or 3d rate for the privilege they would decline to do so. He voted against the scheme when it was introduced into the Corporation Bill, and he should certainly vote against the expenditure of the ratepayers' money for such a purpose in future. Speaking of the sewage works, he expressed the opinion that under the new system that was now being introduced all obnoxious smells in the vicinity of those works would be done away with. (Hear, hear.)

Councillor WEBB also responded. He said he thought the Town Council was at last waking up to the fact that they must not only attend to the greater needs, but also to the lesser wants of the town – he meant that they must give attention not only to front street dwellers but also to those who lived in the side streets. (Hear, hear.) He was pleased to hear that the working men were not now called upon to grope their way to work in the early morning, but that they were provided with proper lights till a reasonable hour. (Hear, hear.) He also thought the Corporation ought to take over all new streets as soon as they were ready in order to keep them in proper condition. The residents in these streets were entitled to the same consideration as those in the front streets because they paid rates in exactly the same proportion. (Applause.) As to the proposed town hall he thought the finances of the town were in such a condition that it would be ridiculous and absurd to go in for a town hall at the present time. (Hear, hear).

The CHAIRMAN also proposed “The Postmasters, past and present,” everyone of whom, he said, had, while there were stationed there, done their best to promote the best interests of the town. They never had a better postmaster than Mr. JAMES, who had recently left Taunton, and in Mr. THRALL, their present postmaster, they had a gentleman who came among them with an excellent reputation. (Applause.)

Mr. F. EVERED acknowledge the toast. Mr. JAMES, he said, undoubtedly did more for the general staff of the Taunton Post-office than any man who had served as postmaster. (Hear, hear.) They had not yet seen much of Mr. THRALL, but he felt sure he would prove to be a thorough gentleman and a thorough good postmaster. (Applause.)

Mr. B. C. CLEAVE gave “The Postmen's Federation.” He assured them that it had given him the greatest pleasure to be present that night, because he had always found the postmen of the town most courteous and obliging, and they had shown him every civility they possibly could. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. HILL replied. He spoke of the utility of the federation in remedying the grievances of postmen, and mentioned that the membership of the federation at the present time was no less than 22,000.

Mr. WINTER also responded. He said that as President of the Taunton branch he was pleased to be able to report that the branch was growing rapidly. It was a Society formed and managed by postmen, and the fact that they had already a membership of 22, 000 ought to encourage all outsiders to join. (Hear, hear.) Their motto was, “Each for all and all for each.”

Other toasts were “The Donors,” responded to by Mr. CLEAVE; “The Clerical Staff,” proposed by Mr. KIRKPATRICK, and acknowledged by Messrs. EVERED and BOND; “The Ladies,” “The Press,” “The Host and Hostess,” and “The Visitors.”

An excellent programme of songs was gone through during the evening, to which the following among others contributed:- Messrs. JARMAN, BULLEY, MINCHINTON, TYLER, GOLDING, JARMAN, JONES, PINN, EVERED, and TROKE.

 

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