Recollections of a Busy Life: Being the Reminiscences of a Liverpool Merchant 1840-1910Forwood, William Bower, Sir
History
Recollections of a Busy Life: Being the Reminiscences of a Liverpool Merchant 1840-1910
Forwood, William Bower, Sir
Forwood, William Bower, Sir, 1840-1928; Merchants -- England -- Liverpool -- Biography
In the wide realm of philanthropy Liverpool has had many active workers,
for the most part unknown to fame, who plod away day after day in our
slums, with no prospect of reward, save the satisfaction of doing
something to ameliorate and brighten the lives of others. Recently a
short paragraph in a newspaper told us of the death of a clergyman who
had a distinguished university career, and who for twenty-four years
lived and worked unknown in the by-ways of Liverpool, attached to no
church, but doing what he could to uplift those around about him--and
there are many such. Among our workers in the good cause of
philanthropy we have had Mr. Edward Whitley, M.P., Mr. Clarke Aspinall,
Mr. Christopher Bushell, Mr. William Rathbone, M.P., Mr. William
Crosfield, Mr. Charles Langton, Canon Major Lester, and Monsignor
Nugent.
Mr. William Rathbone was not only an ideal local member of Parliament,
but for more than half a century he was foremost in every good work in
Liverpool. As a member of the Select Vestry he made the poor laws a
special subject of study. In the founding of our University, and the
District Nursing Association (the first in the country) Mr. Rathbone
rendered a great service.
Mr. Christopher Bushell was another leader of men; tall and dignified in
appearance and a good speaker, he was active in the cause of
philanthropy in support of the church and of education.
Nor must we forget the many ladies who have devoted their energies to
charitable and philanthropic work. Miss Calder has accomplished great
things for the school of cookery, and we have Miss Melly and Miss
Rathbone working for the Kyrle Society. The late Countess of Lathom was
ever ready with her handsome and distinguished presence and eloquent
voice to help forward every good work. Only a few months before she met
with her sad and tragic death she said to me, "When I am gone you must
write as my epitaph, 'She opened bazaars.'" Liverpool has had few
friends more devoted or more capable than the late Lady Lathom.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE SEAMEN'S ORPHANAGE, ETC.
On the death of Mr. Alfred Turner in 1896, I was made president of the
Seamen's Orphanage. The detail work of the institution is carried on by
the chairman of the committee. The first chairman was Mr. Robert Allan,
whose devotion to the interests of the institution was beyond all
praise. On his retirement his place was filled by Mr. J. H. Beazley, one
of the sons of the founder, the late James Beazley. No institution in
the city of Liverpool is doing a better or a nobler work. We can all
realise how much our safety, and how greatly our prosperity as a nation,
depend upon our sailors, yet we scarcely appreciate how little chance a
sailor has of saving money for a rainy day, and how entirely dependent
his widow and family generally are upon public support.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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