With the maps was an almost illegible photocopy of the report from the Middlesex County Times (? Saturday May 15 1809) of that years "Beating the Parish Boundaries".Squinting at it through the magnifying glass revealed two sections of the speeches after "a capital dinner was partaken of at ...the Star and Garter Hotel, Kew Bridge".(After a speech by Mr. Dean, the junior Overseer in response to the toast of health to the overseers)Mr CROSS, in reply to several calls, also rose to respond. He said : At one of the elections for Bristol Mr. Burke was one of the candidates. He had a coadjutor who was not so felicitous in expressing his opinions. Mr. Burke had made an eloquent speech; but no sooner had he sat down than his coadjutor was called upon to speak. He said, "I have much pleasue in saying ditto, ditto, ditto to every word that Mr. Burke has said." (Laughter) Allow me also to say ditto to every word that Mr. Dean has spoken.....(He then went on to propose the toast to the Churchwardens)Could that be the equivalent of "I agree with Nick" ? Will it happen at the hustings in the next fortnight ?And later:The VICE-CHAIRMAN : It unfortunately happens in this parish, as it happens in most others,that there is what some people consider to be a necessity for having poor people. It is a very great bother. (A Laugh) I wish there were none. They are such a great trouble. (Renewed laughter) This is, too, especially so in the parish of Ealing - Ealing proper, I mean proper Ealing, which stands on the higher ground and looks down, as it were, ???? us here at Brentford. For really, the truth is upper Ealing knows very little about the poor, the people there live happily and enjoy all the luxuriancy that is possible ; and they almost forget the poorer end of the Parish. They are represented here by the Guardians who are quite deserving of our notice (Hear.).......(goes on to praise the Guardians of the poor in the parish of Ealing for balancing their hunanity to the poor with the need to burden the taxpayer....)
Tim Henderson ● 5595d