SIXTY- YEARS AGO.

Evening Star, Issue 15074, 4 January 1913, Page 11

SIXTY - YEARS AGO.

EXTRACTS FROM AN OLD LON- ' DONER'S DIARY. Xo. 6. —A Printers' vVayzgoose.— July, 1853.—1 am now about to write down a description of a printers' " wavzgoose," or annual dinner, and as the circumstances connected with it were rather out of; my usual style of living, and it being the first thing "of - the kind! had ever attended, I think an account of it is *vell worthy of a place in my diary. The stewards of the dinner naviug "collected about £6O from among the tradesmen who deal with 3\h- R, (whose office 1 have been working at, since I ltfi Mr A.'s), including Jits own libera] donation of 20gs, the first thing was to decine upon a spot where such a dinner should be held. Amongst two or three places proposed as bein<? eligible for such an affair the Roebuck°Tmi, situated about three miles north of Woodford, in the forest of Epping, was fixed upon. Early this morning, therefore, I and anotlitr fellow-workman started from my house :n Barnsbury .and perched ourselves on the top of one of the Caledonian buses, by which we were taken to the office in Wellington street. There we loimd two stage coaches, each drawn by four horses, waiting to convey us to our destination, and after waiting a few minutes till the party had all assembled, first having that necessary preliminary to every printers' holiday, technically called "a wet," meaning a drop of ale or stout we mounted the coaches and were driven along in fiist-rate style through the city up the Hackney road, and so on to the Lea L...: T v station, where we pulled up and partook of a. capital lunch. A great round oi cheese, together with half a dozen crusty Innves.'tollowed by foaming pots of pale- ale and stout, were laid on the table ot the parlor for us to cut at and drink ar-ci no or.e who saw the inroads that wpre made upon those articles, if thev gave it a bought at all. would deny What power the fresh air has to increase the appetite. ltavi„g appeased our ci.avings. we again seated ourselves, -md after at other hour's i.■ rye. tnrough beautiful forest scenery we arrived at the Roebuck a little before 1 Dinner haying been ordered to' be placed on the table at 3, we .had a couple of hours to dispose of, and this time I made availaole lor playiug a glW((s at j fct in an adding fi,ld a , d talfl a walfe al " with a yo Ullg frieil(l dofl . H j,. . b for a mile or two, while others amused themselves with bowls, jumping, leap ,I and other healthful exercises The inn »

l t„ P °' th V op of a hiU ' a,ld f «m the lav.n and garden attached a most extensive new was to be had. It was moreover, surrounded bv fine forest sce*e7i I "' r ! l( ;' jSe masses of almost impenetrable thickets skirting one side of m load, and low, tuzzy brushwood, together with a tew cottages and a farmhouse occupied part of the other. Tha country round nbout was also extremelv undXf. £* B ° afto ;. dl "g different prospects and \lTnlfr° rd -\ ng t0 the situation stood in Altogether. ,t was an exceedingly prettv ould choose who w.shcs to have a few n^-e r°>™f nt "Part- from the £ and turmoil of London. At o o clock we all took our places nf he dinner table, i„ nnmber abou £ Jaes a sat down to ar. excellent dinner, 1' IP K c .rse con Sl sted of th«e kinds „!„«,£ ni,vi * graVy - Pnd green ~e a. Next nearly every variety of fish, including tut bot salmon, fried soles, etc. ■ and &£ "as foUoweTbT *>"* *a* spent upon that article alone-an ev to fr wWoMd Wo 4i P t0 a m " c h better rmrnnse selves very credited. an d' Shi 0 "' for i ac s - iu^ a i£ n a n ith comfortenjoyment i,T ,-,? !I sense of observed; and I hi ls " f > fc advantage of Wo il'/ tG ™ lned *« take living b g y V^^t^^rt nt.l, [q© table heme covered with +v,„ i ™ fruit, that, could brie rd IS wee imge baskets ot beautiful hothouse .t" P ve^ n8 " th6ir a P» at \cn fe,v printers" dinners. J-Jie business of the dinner -,,„ 1 «nd the "'«! ? firsfc toast the Q" ee "'fi bedth in ?uch a democratic meeting as that-a re mark which did not at all coin dde with T l K ' !l had much « -If n o « fc ,« lto ptlier. detracting sometil'ff ? t. a -, from the sociableness of the affair-begged leave to propose prospcruy to his paper and his 'Miscellany,' \i«n c ° uree .. was duly responded to. of X g p WaS K i VCT; and tllen thc health ot the Governor, thc publisher, the printer and everybody elses was drunk P with He g a jolly good fellow' and a <• Hip Up, hurrah!' The compositors, in number ..bout 20, drank the machinists' health about six, and'-jolly good fallowed" them • ana the machinists, in returning the con,: plnuent began by "jolly good blowing " themselves, using the pronoun of the first person '• we," instead of the third, winch blunder, of course, raised a lauch The praiter, in returning thanks on behalf ot his companions, got up and intended to make a fine set speech in r«plv but just when it was wanted it appeared to have flipped out of his head, and the vacuum was filled up with abundance of mental rides,-' beginning with -'Gentlemen—gentlemen—l beg to return thanks, gentlemen—the kind manner, oentlemen—

m which you have drunk our health. <rentlemen.- "It is a proud moment of°mv lite, gentlemen—to know that I have dveii satisfaction both to my employer and to his employed—and, gentlemen, l" can only say this : you Lave had a will—ves. Gentlemen you have had a will in helping me to carry out this grand object, I conclud" gentlemen," said he, holding his glass above his head and looking confidently about and speaking emphatically, as if' something good _ was coming out, '• I conclude bv I drinking all your very good healths, and hoping that we may have as merry a | meeting like this, and may all the printers here assembled, gentlemen, remember with pleasure the dinner of 1853. and all join again in 1854!'' Tremendous applause, which made the glasses dance a reel, followed this glorious wind-up, and, indeed, the gentleman himself sat down with a self-sufficient smile upon his countenance that proved' he had at any rate pleased himself. A glee was then sung, or, at least, tried at, and after a few successive breakdowns, but out of time and tune, it was got through. The grand performance of the evening, however, was Mr R.'s speech. [Here follows a summary of the speech together with the writer's comments thereon I and on the speaker, too lengthy for inser- . tion.] After Mr R.'s speech was finished, the company began to get merry. Sonc*' recitations, etc., followed each" other In quick succession; everything, whether good or bad, was vehemently applauded, and, indeed, all enjoyed themselves right loyally, and I am happy to say I only saw one person the worse for liquor. This gentleman was not satisfied with anything, and while eating his dinner he wanted to know why there was not champagne on the table; go, to make him big. he ordered the waiter to bring him a. bottle, for which he had to fork out 10s. Immediately he had bought it, however, about half a dozen of us, desirous of letting him know that we appreciated his taste, were on to drink with him, helping, ourselves' and drinking his health at the same time, which he acknowledged with a face between a smile and a frown. About 9 o'clock Mr R left us, and soon after I began to look after a bed, inquiring of one of the waiters where we -were to put up. ... I awoke about a quarter to 6 without being called, and it was with feelings of pleasure that I drew the curtains gta&a aa& ami

upon the fine forest landscape -which they hid. .It was an exceedingly fine morning, and the outlines of the distant hills could be discerned with a clearness that contrasted greatly with the hazy appearance of the air at the same time in town. I could not a!«:i help being struck with the stillness that reigned, no rumbling of carte, no Ixmdon cries, no bolls tolling to work struck the ear, but a. quiet serenity prevailed, particularly soothing u> the" mind that lives in continual turmoil and noise. Wc started off tin 1 he. direction of Epping, passing the Roebuck, and 'reaching the "White Lion," a tavern about two mites further on, diving now and then into some impenetrable thicket, and then ■emerging in a beautiful glade or opening in the forest, covered with tall, high grass, and adorned with'wild rose bushes, which were now dovercd with bloom. The fragra.nee of the new-mown hay rising from a field which some men were turning over was also inhaled by our nostrils, and the cool, balmy air of morning, together with the refreshing appearance of t-h-s green landscape, covered as every leaf was with globules of silvery dew, was peculiarly grateful and inspiriting to us, whoso brain and body wcro a little over-heated from the unusual stimulants taken the day before. Our delightful two hours' excursion also created an appetite for the sumptuous breakfast we sat down to on again reaching the inn. Cold fowls, boiled ham. fillets of veal, Epping sausages, new-laid eggs, cream, coffee, fresh butter, and tea were among the many tilings of which it was composed, and with, such, good things before ine, seated opposite a window commanding a most extensive- view of hill and dale, wood and field, I need, not say how much I enjoyed it. After breakfast a stage coach was ordered to convey us for a ride to Epping, about six mike further in the forest.

We reached the town of Epping, where wo again pulled up and had another wet. This time ahout a pound was spent in ale, biscuits, buns, etc., all assembling in the parlor and discussing what had been seen. 1 did not join the party myself, not caring about so much stuffing, but rambled about the town and environs, looking out for the sausage manufactory, where "the famous sausages were to be obtained. It was, however, a fruitless .search, for I could see no signs of such a place, or indeed, of any sausages at all, and I came to the conclusion that* the so-called articles were most likely made in some dirty alley in London. After thus spending half an hour it was time to remount, and off wo drove again, stared at by the townspeople and villagers with great curiosity as we went by, as if it were something extraordinary to be disturbed by a coaeh and four. We had not got far before we stopped and got down at the inn where we had pulled" up on our journey outward, and then we spent about half an hour in racing, running, walking, etc., for bottle.--, of sherry. After nearly all had made themselves as tired as possible we again mounted for the last time previous to our returning to the Boebuck, and, as may be imagined, Ave were a merry crew. We had a Dutch medley before we had got far on the road, those on the front of the coach singing the ' Marsejliaise,' while those in tho behind seats struck up with 'The Bravo Old Oak,' 'To-morrow We'll Get Sober,' etc. I was seated on the roof coming back, between tho two parties, and accordingly joined in with both at times. After they had sung themselves thirsty, a gentleman, "our parliamentary reporter." gave us an extempore song, taking off the principal parties he knew on the coach. In this manner the time passed away till wo reached tho inn, where we found a. first-rate, dinner waiting for us. Having been very abstinent during the ride, I was enabled to relish the good things before me, while others who bad made free with the ale, biscuits, and wine when out did not seem much to enjoy it. , . . At length the time arrived for starting homewards, and at 8 o'clock we were all mounted on the coach, waving our hats to our liberal landlord, who was bowing at the door to see us off, and bidding adienx to some of the acquaintances which had been made during our short stay. It was a most gorgeous evening; the sun was fast declining behind some fleecy clouds in the west, tinging them with a glowing, bright gold, which gradually deepened in color to a brilliant red. then a burnished copper, and lastly into light leaden streaks: the hedges covered with roses, and the trees, full of leaf, listlessly bowing their heads to the gentle -breeze which blew from the warm south, added to the richness of the scene, and as twilight disappeared the silver crescent of the new moon shed a soft radiance on the hard, white road along which we were flying. But all these beauties of Nature were uiiadmired, at least with that enthusiasm which animated myself, by most of those around me. Before wo had got far on the road somebody had got thirsty, "and at about the first inn we met wo pulled -up and had some pale ale. I did not partake of any myself, but roamed about'the neighborhood, which was an extremely pretty one. . . . But turned mv step's

towards the inn again, where my friends, having supplied their hot coppers with further materials, were again ready to start. From this inn to Clapton, where we again drew up and had a dozen bottles of Guiness's stout, was one of the prettiest : rides we had yet been. Nothing but tall trees for miles skirted each side of the road, forming the most magnificent vistas 1 had ever beheld. Most of us had kept ourselves sober up to the inn where wo now stopped, but the bottled stout knocked a few off their perches. It being quite dark, and the moon having gone down, I went into the parlor along with the others, and one of our company,"half drunk, made, a, wager that he would swallow a glass of beer standing on his head. The publisher took his bet, and accordingly the man was placed on his head, with his legs against the ceiling to support him in that position, and was handed a glass of ale. which he somehow mangaged'to swallow, apparently by suction. ." . . ] n snc h •a condition did a good many of ns mount the coach for the last time; indeed, one or two were not safe to sit outside, so they were doubled up inside. . . .' I retired to my own dormintorv. regularly fatigued both in body and mind with the unusual excitement of my two days' holiday., —Entry Into Journeymanship.— March —, 1854.—T0-day my term of apprenticeship has expired, and I am now about to become a little more of my own master. It certainly seems rather late in the day to be out of one's time, but as it is a rule in my trade that no member shall work as a journeyman, or on his own account, till he has been seven years at the business, there is no help for it, 1 shall earn a little more money and have more time to myself, but as l'was in the receipt of very good wages before this event, it will not make any striking difference in my condition. It is a step however, at any rate for the better, and with more time and more money I should now be able to carry out many of the plans I have so long had in my mind. . . . To my subject, however, "for I find I am moralising instead of giving a description of what I intended to communicate in these pages. Well, I had previously given a guinea to the father of our chapel '"(that is, the man who manages our own private rules and regulations) to lay out in what manner the chapel should 'deem proper, and acordingly a little before 12 the large stone (or table) was covered with foaming tankards of ale, stout, etc., together with piles of crusty loaves and a large piece of Cheshire, cheese. While these edibles were being duly laid out and cut up, preparations were going on in other parts of the office to give me a good salute the moment the time arrived, and the clock had no sooner done striking the hour of 12 than a deafening clatter with evei-y----thing that coidd be laid hold of and make a noise ushered me into mv state of journeymanship. This having a little subsided I was laid hold of by two of the tallest young men in the office and carried round the room, being assailed all the time by innumerable missiles in the shape of old slippers, etc., .symbolical, I suppose, of wishing me good luck, though I would rather have had it expressed in a little gentler way, for my head ached for some time after _ through the effect which such kind greetings had upon my cranium. I went through the ordeal,-however, pretty well, and the next thing done was'the assembling round the stone and commencing operations upon the. "noipes" and " Wstornv "' there laid out.

During these proceedings myhealth, was drunk by every person in the office, foreman included. Indeed, some of them appeared to be so warmly interested in my' future prospects that they drank my health half a dozen times, though I strongly suspect the respect in -which they regarded the ale had not a little to do with it. " Your hea!th,_ Mr ." " I wish you sucoei's. .Mr ." " May vou never be in want of a 'sit,' Mr -."' "May.you prove more fortunate as a journeyman "than you have been as an apprentice, Mr——," which latter toast, by-the-bye, wasgiven by the foreman, who majestically came out" of his little closet, uttered the above words, took a small nip out of a glass of ale, and then darted away again. I was also familiarly thumped on the back and pro-' claimed "a, man noo." In. the'midst of all this hubbub and health-drinking, eome thirsty compositors—and there are always a good many of them in every officerfound out that the ale had suddenly "dried up," and began clattering and making a noise for more. The father of fclie chapel, however, in whose hands tho money was placed, objected to procure a further sup--ply, there being :-unicient already had up. It was no use, however, telling them they' had had. sufficient; where there is any '• noipes" to be had for nothing, compositors are not to be put down bv such stupid nonsense as that. .So the father, to silence them, put ic to the vote, and demanded a show of hands as to -whether tho remainder. of themoncy was to be left- over or spent in having more ale up. A majority, for a wonder, declared against' Win proposition, whereupon the advocates.- for more beer declared the others to be a " mean lot," and to prove their disgust they foon after went •off to a. neighboring public-house and. played at skittles, cards, and dominoes thewhole, of the afternoon. The chapel was then dissolved, and further proceedings postponed till the following Monday evening, when a convivial party-was to windup the affair. Accordingly on the following Monday evening most of the workmen adjourned to the parlor of a neighboring publichouse and there smoked tobacco and drank brandy-and-water, gin-and -water, stout,, ale, etc., till nearly 11 o'clock. I. will, however, endeavor to give a short programme of the "brilliant" entertainment. In a dingy parlor a table was laid out with bread and cheese, onions, ale, stout,etc., and these having been, first duly disposed, of, a dram of brandy was handed all round as a help to digestion; and then, after casting up the accounts of the expenditure out of the original fund, a balance sufficient to yield a dividend of two "six-penn'orth's" of "lush" each, in whatever form we liked to have it in, was declared, together with sundry screws of. tobacco for the general use of the company. A discussion consequently took place upon the various orders that were to be given, till a show of hands, as usual, decided the result. 'Die bell was rung, and an order was given for about 10 "hotbrandy's," two ditto gin, three ditto rum, and one ditto negus—which large demand, by the bye, covered the .landlord's face with smiles. Pipes and cigars were now lit, the liquors began to set tongues going, so a chairman was duly elected, and "liar-, mony" began. The first person called upon for a song begged, to be excused. Alter a little pressing, however, and several sips of brandy, and strong endeavors to clear his ihroat, ho began a melancholy ditty, with which the company was as familiar as with their ABC, broke down in the middle of it, and called upon another -person to finish if. "Begin it again," "try another" were the cries from various parties, it being no matter whether a person is out of time or tune, or whether hfe utters nonsense, or terse, so that, he mumbles through something that ends with a roaring chorus. That's what goes down and meets with more applause" in a

" pot-house" parlor, than the sweetest melody sung in the most exquisite tones. After the party mentioned had again taxed hi-; memory and strained his throat, the chairman ro.-e and proposed my health, which was drunk with the musical honors : 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow,' performed in a line, boisterous style. I then rose, and returned thanks for the: kind and enthusiastic manner in which they had drunk to my success, and I hoped that my conduct wonld always be such, as to command their respect. "I was very glad," I said," "that T. had served the last years of my time in one of the first office* in London, because it not only had introduced me, as it were, to some of the most 'respectable' men of- the trade, but it had given me an insight,.into the principles and use. of their society, an institution which I knew very little about when I rirst entered their office. I well knew that it was to my interest, to belong to that society, ami I hoped, they wouM always find in me a jealous member and liberal supporter. It -was not only interest. however, that induced mc to belong to it—as its members consisted of tlio most honorable and industrious men in the business—J. should belong to it on principle likewise;' "for,'' said I. "I value a good name among my companions as much, as I do hj good 'wage' on Saturday night, and mean, indeed, must- be the man who didn't think a good name and a "ood 'poll' a sufficient recompense for the small item that he was called upon to pay to that institution which secured to him those advantages.'' After delivering this "glorious" speech, which was met by the most rapturous applause, the party soon broke, up, some joining a sing-song held in a room upstairs, others to hear a concert in Clerkenvrell, and, I, who had had enough of "malt,'' and the smoke of tobacco, and the company of half-tipsy men, for many years to come, made, the. best of my way home, glad that Ihe celebration of my inauguration to the printing trade had been got over. (Concluded.)