Summary
From the Cambridge Chronicle in 1891 – the main Conservative supporting newspaper in town.
The original article is here and goes on at quite some length. I’ve only transcribed the part describing the laying of the stone and the description of Mill Road in the run up to it in the article.
SALISBURY WORKING MEN’S CONSERVATIVE CLUB. LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. SPEECHES BY LORD CLAUD HAMILTON, MR, PENROSE FITZGERALD, M.P., AND OTHERS.
“The interesting ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Salisbury Working Men’s Conservative Club, Romsey Town, was performed by Lord Claud John Hamilton on Friday evening.
“The building is being erected on the edge of the estate formerly known Polecat Farm, and faces the main road. When erected it will have a fine and imposing appearance. On the front of the building will the name of the Club, and the year of erection. On entering the building there will be on the right hand a Committee room and on the left a lavatory and bar.
At the back there will an assembly room capable of accommodating 120 people. The building is being erected by Mr. Stearn, of Tenison Road, (President of the Beaconsfield Club [that club named after Benjamin Disraeli – later the Earl of Beaconsfield]), from plans prepared by Mr. Mullet, of Regent-street Cambridge.
“It only year since Mr. Hough, the leader of the Conservative Party in Cambridge, and other gentlemen, decided, after consulting number of Conservatives in Romsey Town, to erect club, and towards this object £430 has already been obtained. Of this sum:
- £20 has been raised amongst Conservative working men in the district,
- £35 has been received from the Primrose League,
- £25 from the Borough Member,
- £25 from Ald. Whitmore,
- £10 from Sir Charles Hall, Q.C. M.P.
“There were also ten donations of £15, ten of £10, besides that of Sir Charles Hall, four of £5.5s., nineteen of £5 each, seven of £3.3s., one of £2.10s., seven of £2.2s., and one of £2.
“The advantages of the new Club cannot over estimated. It situated right In the heart of a rapidly increasing district, which has already a population estimated at five thousand persons, who almost entirely belong to the working classes. There is not similar institution near at hand, and the Club will be well provided with books, weekly periodicals &c., it will most certainly become a favourite place of resort for both young and old. Unfortunately, owing to the strike of the bricklayers in the town, the work erection has been suspended, but it expected that the building will be completed in October.
“The ceremony took place in charming weather, and in the presence of an immense number of persons. The district presented a holiday appearance, through a liberal display of flags and bunting. Several rows of flags were suspended across the road from the railway bridge to the building, and there was scarcely a street in the district which did not contain decorations in some form or another.
“Opposite Fern Villa and the adjoining residence a pretty device, which appeared the motto “United we stand, divided we fall” was exhibited. In another part of the town Fawcett’s memorable saying, “What Cambridge says to-day England will say tomorrow,” was shown in conspicuous place, and also the names:
- FitzGerald,
- Stokes,
- Raikes,
- Selwyn
- Hall,
- Cadogan,
- Giffard,
- Stanhope,
- Cranbourne,
- Ritchie,
- Knutsford,
- Zetland,
- Cross,
- Fellowes, &c.
“His Lordship dined the University Arms at 5 o’clock. Previous to the dinner Mr. Mullet exhibited the plans of the Club and explained them to his Lordship. Punctually at 7 o’clock, a carriage, occupied by Lord Claud Hamilton, Mr. FitzGerald. Mr. James Hough, and Mr. T, Coulson (President of the Salisbury Club) arrived at the site of the new club amidst loud cheers.
“There were also present: Rev. Mr. Gray. Messrs. W.P. Spalding (Ruling Councillor of the Primrose League), Saunders French (Secretary of the Conservative Club), Ald. Whitmore, J. Foster, C. A. Vinter, J. H. Whitehead, W. R. Bright. A. Matthew, T. Hyde Hills, Roper, W. W. Gray, Mullet (architect), Stearn (builder), J. Catling, G. Day, and following Committee of the Salisbury Club: -Messrs. J. B. Hill (Hon. Sec.), Goodman, Hinkins, Hallow, Haynes. Offley, Douglas, Rumbalow, Tuck. Ratcliffe and Strutt.
“Mr. FitzGerald said that upon that auspicious occasion laying that, the first stone of their Conservative Romsey Town Club, it had been their good fortune to able to prevail upon Lord Claud Hamilton to come down and carry out the ceremony. It was doubly their good fortune — they, Eastern counties men — to have him on that occasion, because for eleven years he represented the neighbouring constituency of Lynn in Her Majesty’s Parliament, and since then for many years had represented the large town of Liverpool in Parliament.
“They looked upon him as an Eastern counties member: they welcomed him there, and they trusted that the stone which he was about to lay with great judgment, care and skill, as a mason, might be the foundation stone of the Conservative Party in Romsey Town, [Cheers].
“It might be that they were a small body there [“No, no.”], but judging from the flags, and judging from the decorations of the district which they had passed under in their ride to that spot, it seemed pretty clear to him they were, if small Party, a determined Party. [“Hear, hear.”]
“He hoped that the national English feeling which they wished to see represented, would be doubly cemented by the meetings which they might have in that Club, and that the men would make the most of it; might find it comfortable and convenient place talk over those National affairs which interested every man, high low, in this country of ours. [Cheers.]
“On behalf of that meeting—and thought might say behalf their Radical friends who might present, because there was no question of politics – they thanked Lord Claud for coming down and assisting in laying the laying the foundation stone of the Salisbury Romsey Town Club. It was not his Intention occasion to make any lengthy political speech. The object of the Club was that the men of that district, and of the town might be able themselves to discuss the questions in which they were most interested with calmness, with judgment, and with reflection [hear, hear], and with the aid of that Press – the Press of England—which was the pride of the whole civilized world. [Hear, hear.]
He then called open Lord Claud to assist at the well and truly” laying of the foundation stone of the club. The stone was then laid under the superintendence of the architect and builder, and His Lordship said: “I now beg to declare this, the foundation stone of the Salisbury Working Men’s Conservative Club, well and truly laid, and may the future work of the Club resound to the edification its members, end to the welfare of our State.” [Hear, hear and loud cheers.]”
“Underneath the stone Mr T. Hyde Hills placed a bottle containing copies of the Cambridge Chronicle, the Cambridge Independent Press, Cambridge Express, and the following coins:
- 5 shillings
- 2 shillings & 6d
- 2 shillings
- 1 shilling
- 6d
- 1d
- 1/2d
The stone bears the following inscription: “This memorial stone was laid by Lord Claud J Hamilton, 10th July 1891.”
“Mr James Hough, in the name of the Conservatives of Cambridge, then presented his Lordship with a silver trowel in remembrance of his visit to Cambridge. The trowel bore the following inscription: “The foundation stone of the Salisbury Working Men’s Conservative Club, Romsey Town, Cambridge, was laid by Lord Claud John Hamilton, in the presence of R.U. Penrose FitzGerald MP for the Borough, and many friends and supporters, July 10th 1891.”
“Lord Claud Hamilton said he was quite unprepared for the reception of such a charming gift as that which Mr Hough had presented him with on the behalf of the Conservatives of Cambridge. He came there to perform a simple duty – one which conferred great pleasure upon him as being in the interests of his old friend, Mr FitzGerald, their Member [Cheers], and he was quite unprepared for any such kind reception he had met with, and the handsome gift which had been given to him. He could assure them he would long cherish and value the memento of that day’s proceedings. [Cheers]
“A prayer was then offered by the Rev. Mr Gray, and the National Anthem was sung. Cheers were also enthusiastically given for the new Club.
“Mr James Hough said it was his duty to move a vote of thanks to Lord Claud John Hamilton for his kindness in coming down to lay the foundation stone of the Club. [Hear hear.] His Lordship had come at very great inconvenience, for he had to return to London by the eight o’clock train to attend upon her Majesty the Queen [then Queen Victoria]. That ceremony would have taken place some days ago, but his Lordship’s engagements had been so numerous, so much was going on in London owing to the visit of the Emperor of Germany [Kaiser Wilhelm II, Queen Victoria’s eldest grandson, the son of the then late Friedrich III and the Princess Royal – Wilhelm II being the Kaiser who took Germany to war with the UK some 23 years later!] that they had from day-to-day been obliged to put off the ceremony.
“Lord Claud had shown very great kindness in coming down to fulfil his promise. His Lordship was a busy man, connected with many works in London, and their own Great Eastern Railway, and was always willing and anxious to perform his duty. He would watch proceedings of the Club, and would be anxious to see what Cambridge would do in future. [Hear, hear]. He was sure that they would all join in giving him a hearty vote of thanks for his great kindness in coming down. They might suppose that their Member, Mr FitzGerald [Cheers] had many friends in London who would have been proud and happy to have performed that duty [hear hear] but he fixed upon Lord Claud as a very old friend, and he, at Mr Fitzgerald’s request, and their unanimous wish, had been down and done the work, and he thought they would agree with him that he had done it in a workmanlike manner. [Cheers].
Ends/
The article then went on to cover political exchanges between the Tories/Conservatives and Whigs/Liberals, the political fight that dominated UK domestic politics and social reform movements in the 1800s.
Lost Cambridge 