Part 10 (1/2)
(1) ”Supt, Sir, I will try to be more careful in the pa.s.s. Yours obed, H. P----.”
(2) ”Supt, Sir, I having asked where the message was ment for and they told me to go up the road where I should see a chemist shop where I should find it about there and I having could not find it I asked, a gentleman which he said it was farther up the road and I left it with cotton the undertaker which he said it was quite right.--G. H----.”
(3) ”Supt, sir, I will try to be more extint in the future as this is the truth.--M. T----.”
(4) ”Supt, Sir, I much regret not returning my report But I left it home in my other Pocket in my overcoat which is home drying which was wet through on Sat.u.r.day last. Yours obed H. E----.”
The inst.i.tute was inaugurated at a public meeting at the Colston Hall on the 1st December, 1892, which was attended by a large and influential gathering of citizens. Upon the platform were the Mayor of Bristol (Mr.
W. R. Barker), who presided, the Very Rev. the Dean of Bristol (Dr.
Pigou), Mr. Charles Townsend, M.P., Rev. R. Cornall, Mr. R. C. Tombs (the postmaster), Mrs. R. C. Tombs, Dr. Lansdown, jun., Miss Synge, Miss Pollock, Messrs. John Harvey, Arthur Baker, E. G. Clarke, H. Lewis, C.
H. Tucker, R. L. Leighton, W. H. Lindrea, J. R. Bennett, E. Sampson; also Messrs. A. J. Flewell (superintendent of the telegraph department), W. H. Gange, J. Robertson, J. S. Gover, J. J. Mackay, H. T. Carter (superintendent of the postal department).
It was explained that the telegraph messengers were engaged at from thirteen to fourteen years of age, and the lessons they had learned at school had chiefly been supplemented by a knowledge acquired in the streets. The object was to counteract street influences by providing elementary instruction, recreation, and interesting literature. There was no desire to educate the boys to such a pitch that Jack would think himself better than his master, but to take care that they should not degenerate. It was announced that the hours of labour had just been reduced from sixty-two to fifty per week, which would be a great boon to the boys. It was further stated that a private appeal had been made, not in vain, to a few of Bristol's most generous citizens, and that through their kindly aid, with subscriptions from the members of the staff and the grant which it was hoped to earn from the Education Department, the inst.i.tute would be carried on without pecuniary embarra.s.sment. The description of the inst.i.tute's work was as follows:--
1. The inst.i.tute would be open to the telegraph messengers and to junior officers of the postal and telegraph service, the charge to each member to be one penny per week.
2. The inst.i.tute would be carried on in a room at the General Post Office.
3. In connection with the inst.i.tute an evening school would be held, the educational session to last from October to May. An annual examination of the members of the cla.s.ses would be held.
4. In addition to the three elementary subjects,--reading, writing, and arithmetic,--cla.s.ses would be arranged for the study of Scripture, geography, drawing, composition, and shorthand.
5. For the purpose of recreation certain games would be provided.
6. In connection with the inst.i.tute there would be a library, which had been formed by means of books generously given by the citizens of Bristol.
7. The library would be open to any established or unestablished officer of the postal and telegraph service at a slight subscription per month.
8. A penny savings bank would also be started.
The Chairman said he gladly consented, to preside that evening, because the object of the meeting was one in which he took deep interest, and one which he felt sure would commend itself to a very large number of his fellow-citizens. He thought he might say that everything connected with the postal service was peculiarly interesting to them all, and anything they could do to ameliorate the lot of those who daily rendered them such important service they would be very glad to do. He thought it would not be well to make the movement too ”goody” in its character, or too educational, so he was glad to see that there was a lighter side to the scheme.
Mr. Charles Townsend, M.P., Mr. Arthur Baker, Mr. Harold Lewis, Miss Synge, and members of the postal and telegraph, staff, also spoke.
Then, the Dean of Bristol addressed the telegraph messengers, and said he really should have been disappointed if he had not been invited to attend the meeting. It was a pleasant part of his privilege in ministering in Bristol to be asked to take a share in such an interesting gathering as they were holding that evening. One of the best features of this inst.i.tute was that it would a.s.sist them to put their leisure to the most profitable use.
The educational work has been progressing steadily ever since its inauguration, and much good has resulted from it to the messengers.
Ever ready to give their countenance to entertainments for the benefit of the community, their Graces the late lamented Duke, and the Dowager d.u.c.h.ess, of Beaufort, as their first public act after coming to reside at Stoke Park, near our city, attended a concert at the Redland Park Hall, which was held for the purpose of benefiting the funds of the Telegraph Messengers' Inst.i.tute. Later on, May 21st, 1898, they were kind enough to attend an annual meeting and a prize distribution at the Colston Hall. The late Duke, who presided on the occasion, said it was a great pleasure to him to be present. He had witnessed a good deal of the care and discipline with which the Post Office messengers were looked after. Like everybody who had a great deal of correspondence, he had the privilege of having the services of the best regulated Post Office in the world. They also had in this country the privilege of being able to use the best regulated telegraph service. They might be perfectly sure that if a man wanted to send a telegram, when once he put it into the hands of the postal officials, however ill-written or badly addressed it might be, it was very probable that the telegram would reach its destination. Those who had a good deal of correspondence were deeply indebted for the splendid organisation of the Bristol Department. They were also very much indebted to the telegraph clerks, who deciphered the scrawls handed them, and who transmitted the messages. They were deeply indebted also to the boys for the way in which they refrained from stopping to play marbles, and did their duties with great zeal, and delivered their messages at the proper places and to the proper persons.
They would understand that they were Government officers, and that they had to discharge important duties. He could personally say that those duties were thoroughly well carried out in the city of Bristol and its neighbourhood.
The d.u.c.h.ess of Beaufort then distributed the prizes, after which a telegraph messenger presented Her Grace with a basket of choice flowers.
The Bishop of Bristol addressed the lads, and urged them to do their duty thoroughly when on duty, and to enter heartily into healthy play when off duty. In doing their duty they should remember one or two things. They might be charged with the delivery of a message which was a matter of life or death; it might be one regarding which thousands of pounds depended; or it might be one of little importance. But, whatever it was, it was not for them to enquire, but to deliver the message with punctuality and promptness. Having spoken of the discipline and training telegraph boys received, he observed that of all telegraph boys, for punctuality, steadiness, courtesy, and politeness, the Bristol boys were about the best. He urged them also to live pure lives and observe complete honesty, that they might become worthy citizens of whom the country might be proud. He was glad to hear the name of the lady (Miss Pollock) who conducted the scriptural cla.s.s so cordially received, which showed that the lady and her work had taken hold of the hearts of the boys. The excellence of their work as boys, and as men, and the enjoyment of their lives, in the best sense, depended upon their becoming G.o.d-fearing. He should be pleased to give a prize in connection with the Scripture cla.s.s.
The letters of the Bishop, written with reference to the occasion, should not be left unchronicled. They ran as follows, viz.:--
”Church House, Dean's Yard, S.W., _May 10th, 1898_.