Huddersfield Daily Chronicle (11/Jun/1880) – Correspondence: Beaumont Park and the Friendly Socities

This letter was in response to an article published on 1 June 1880, which was critical of certain aspects of the Beaumont Park sod cutting ceremony.


CORRESPONDENCE.

BEAUMONT-PARK AND THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

To the editor of the Huddersfield Daily Chronicle.

Sir,

In looking over your “Scraps and Hints” in last Saturday’s Chronicle, on the occasion of cutting the first sod in Beaumont Park, I find you make mention of the “friendly societies having made a miserable exhibition in the demonstration. Was it that having made provision for sickness they did not care to show their appreciation of a movement for preserving the public health?” Such expressions as the above call forth an explanation from some individual member of that philanthropic body. Firstly. Had there been sufficient notice given the members would have come forward in large numbers. Instead of only seven days’ notice, there ought to have been five weeks at the very least ; they cannot be called together in less time than that, as a majority of the lodges only meet every four weeks, and some of them on the first, second, third, and last Saturday in the month ; therefore it is very clear why there was such a miserable show of members of the friendly societies, and the charge lies at the very doors of those who have had command of the demonstration. Secondly. As to providing for sickness, and not caring to appreciate a movement for preserving the public health, I beg to say that there is not a class of men that is more willing to appreciate all kinds of movements that has a tendency of improving and preserving the public health at large than the members of the various friendly societies, providing that they have ample time given them to take up the matter. Trusting that some other member will have taken up this subject, who is better able to deal with it than I have done.

Yours truly,

AN ODDFELLOW AND FREE GARDENER.
June 10th, 1880.