Part 16 (1/2)

THE LATE MR LEACH IN LONDON

It was in 1872 that Mr James Leach formed one of a deputation from the Keighley Local Board to London on business relating to the erection of a new railway bridge at Keighley Station. Mr Leach was accompanied by his wife. Arrived at the big city, the deputation made for the law offices of the Houses of Parliament, where they were informed that their presence would not be required until the following morning. Then Mr and Mrs Leach separated from the deputation and went their own way, the ”Squire”

declaring his determination to see all that was to be seen of London.

IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

The couple first of all spent a time in the House of Commons listening to the debate, and then they were introduced by Mr (now Sir) Francis Sharp Powell to the (late) Duke of Devons.h.i.+re. His Grace, Mr Leach told me, seemed mightily pleased to see visitors from Keighley. He stated his desire to ”hear t' spekin' i' t' Lords,” and his Grace was showing him into the gentlemen's gallery, and Mrs Leach into the ladies' gallery, when Mr Leach objected, exclaiming in by no means suppressed tone:-”Nay, ---, it; they can dew this at t' Keighley Workus, but let me be wi' ahr Sarah.” The Duke was good enough to respect the feelings of his visitors, and had Mr and Mrs Leach placed in a private box, where, together, they could listen to the debate going on in the gilded chamber.

AT A FANCY DRESS BALL

After tea at their lodgings-which were at a large hotel in Westminster-Mr Leach started out with his wife, and eventually landed her into a place where _bal masque_ was going on. As the old gentleman described to me on his return, ”One o' them hawf donned women com' up ta me, an' puttin' her hand on mi' shoulder sho said, 'Owd boy, you're very welcome.' Then she spied ahr Sarah, an' said 'Is this your wife?' But ahr Sarah said, 'This is noa place for me, Leych, an' ahm net bahn ta stop; soa tha may as weel come.'” With some further persuasion, Mr Leach went out with his wife.

AT SPURGEON'S TABERNACLE

Next morning Mr Leach found that his presence would not be required that day at the House of Commons. He went to hear the Rev C. H. Spurgeon preach at the Tabernacle. ”This wor t' one time I ivver really wept,” he said, ”an' I resolved ta be a better man i' t' future.” Mr Leach next visited the Hall of Science, where he heard Mr Charles Bradlaugh preach, and afterwards shook hands with him. St. Paul's Cathedral also received a visit from the Keighley ”celebrity.”

AN ADVENTURE AT EPSOM RACES

Next day Mr Leach paid a visit to Epsom to see the races. He paid 1s for a stand on a stool, but he had not been in his elevated position many minutes before the stool was kicked from under him, and he was sent sprawling on the ground, this provoking the crowd to great laughter. When Mr Leach looked up he found his stand occupied by another fellow.

Smarting from a sense of indignity, the Keighley gentleman ”set on” to the intruder, and was struggling to regain possession when the police came up and settled the dispute by saying that neither of the two should stand on the stool. ”Ah saw varry little o' t' races,” he said, ”but ah went back to Lunnon an' saw ahr Sarah.”

ROBBED IN PETTICOAT LANE

On Sunday Mr Leach betook himself on a survey in Petticoat-lane, where Jews, Turks, and representatives of nearly every foreign nation were busily carrying on their sales. Our country friend was warned by the police against venturing into this locality. He said ”they wodn't get ower him soa easy,” and pa.s.sed on. But he had not gone far ere he found that his pocket-handkerchief was missing. A gentleman had seen the ”trick” done, and drew Mr Leach's attention to a youth who stood a few yards away. Mr Leach had not forgot his duties as a policeman, and he ran after the lad and caught him. The prisoner was handed over to a constable, who was able to arrest two other thieves on the spot. Next day Mr Leach appeared at the police court, and gave evidence, and the trio were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. Our friend was complimented by the Bench for bringing the case forward. One evening Mr Leach found himself in the ”seven Dials” neighbourhood in the hope of seeing the famous boxer, Nat Langan (whom he had seen have a ”go” with ”Bra.s.sey,” a bra.s.s moulder, of Utley). He was in the boxing saloon some time, and when he had occasion to look at his watch, he found that article missing, only a bit of the guard remaining. He raised a ”hue-and-cry;” but, of course, n.o.body knew anything about the theft. And Mr Leach took his departure murmuring, ”If this is London, I'm done.”

THE FINAL DAY

The deputation was kept in London day after day, until several weeks had pa.s.sed. The final day at last arrived, and the deputation was ushered into the gorgeous chamber. The pet.i.tion was presented, and Mr Leach, in answer to the President, and in a dialect which must have puzzled the Londoners present, said; ”We're bahn ta build a brig ower t' railway, an'

we think it's nowt but reight 'at we sud hev it. Ther's lots o' horses been lamed at t' level crossing. Why, I were varry near being jiggered mysel one neet.” Other members of the deputation having given evidence in support of the pet.i.tion, the party retired. In the end the bridge was erected. Mr Leach and his fellow members of the Local Board were in London about six weeks, and one cannot help thinking that, with an allowance of 1 per day for expenses, they would thoroughly enjoy themselves. At least Mr Leach told me that he did.

MR LEACH'S THREE NIGHTS' LECTURES

On his return to Keighley, Mr Leach and, indeed, the rest of the deputation was made a G.o.d of, in certain quarters. In Jonas Moore's barber's shop in the Market-place, Mr Leach described his visit to London to a few ”favoured” customers, and provoked unlimited laughter. It was Jonas Moore and Joe Town who induced him to give a public lecture on his travels. An elaborate bill was prepared, ”almost as big as a house side,”

informing the burgesses of Keighley that Mr James Leach would give ”three nights' lectures in the Temperance Hall, on his life and travels in London during his six weeks' commission from the Local Board of Health.”