From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An Autobiography — John Shaqi
From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An AutobiographyEdwards, George, Sir
History
From Crow-Scaring to Westminster: An Autobiography
Edwards, George, Sir
George Edwards, 1850-1933
The Rev. Casson brought up some bread and flour from Mundesley, and
Mr. Edwards brought two loaves of bread and three samples of flour
from Aylmerton, and they were laid on the table for the Guardians
to inspect. The bread had a very bad appearance. The Rev. Casson
moved that the contractor who supplied this flour to the poor in
the Southrepps district be named, and that early steps be taken to
bring him to punishment, and that his name be for ever struck out
from the list of contractors of this Union. The rev. gentleman said
that the man who could be villain enough to supply the poor with
such stuff as this called flour deserved to be punished to the
utmost limit of the law. (Cries of "Prove the flour is bad.") The
Rev. Casson: "I have brought a sample of the bread and flour here,
and I will ask any Guardian if he thinks it is fit for human food,
and are we as Guardians going to sit quietly by and see our poor
served with such stuff as this? It is not fit for the beasts to
eat." At this stage the rev. gentleman grew very excited, and was
exhibiting his sample of bread and flour, when Mr. Richard Mack, a
co-opted member, took the bread and put it into the fire. The rev.
gentleman then moved excitedly that Mr. Mack be named and expelled
for the day for his dastardly and cowardly act--(great
disorder).--Mr. Mack, he continued, had destroyed the only
protection these poor people had.--Mr. Edwards said he rose as a
protest against the conduct of Mr. Mack. He had been brought into
contact with a large number of people, and he must say he never saw
a more ungentlemanly act in his life. He was surprised that any
gentleman should so forget himself as to treat another gentleman as
Mr. Mack had treated the Rev. Casson when he was advocating the
rights of the poor. (Cries of "shame.") Mr. Edwards: "It is a
shame, and I appeal to the Chairman to protect the Rev. Casson and
obtain for him a fair hearing." (Loud applause.) Mr. Edwards added,
"Let anyone dare to destroy my sample of bread and I will soon show
them what course I will take."--Mr. Towler said he thought it was
most unfair that the Rev. Casson should be interrupted. Surely
gentlemen were not afraid these things should be brought to
light.--The Rev. Casson said he felt it very much that Mr. Mack
should throw his bread into the fire, as it was the protection
these poor people had whose cause he was advocating. Speaking on
the flour, he said the complaint did not come from one person only,
nor yet from one village, for the same complaint came from
Trimingham, and his friend Mr. Edwards had brought the same
complaint from Aylmerton, miles away from Mundesley, and he hoped
the Guardians would bring the man to punishment that had been
guilty.--Mr.
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