| Notes: | The Standard
Monday, 6 Oct 1856, Page 1
THE EARL OR ALBEMARLE AND HARVEST HOMES.
The Earl of Albemarle bas reappeared as a harvest home reformer at a meeting held at Winfarthing, near Diss, Norfolk. The noble lord’s exertions in the same capacity last year were frequently noticed in the standard. Addressing a party of labourers with their wives and children, the noble earI observed - “At Banham I said that largess had heard its death-knell, and I think after the meeting we have seen to-day, and the descriptions of other meetings which we have read in the papers, that that prophecy is verified. A hundred years ago - and I am afraid a much shorter time since, there was an expression very common, ‘as drank as a lord.’ It was a true proverb, for there were very few sober lords in those days. Now, however, the only drunken lords are the ‘lords of the harvest;’ and I hope that henceforth it will be as difficult to find a drunken harvest lord as a drunken parliamentary lord. I am very happy to preside over a harvest home on my own estate. I find that landlords are constantly taking the place which I occupy, and when I mention landlords may I mention landladies? In my own immediate neighbourhood the Hon. Mrs. Molyneux Montgomery - a lady whose name carries with it a respect to which all will bear witness - has attended three harvest homes on three separate nights on her own estate and I hope the lords of the creation will take care to imitate the example of the ladies of the creation. I have had the misfortune, as all public men have the misfortune, to be very much misunderstood. People have been led to suppose that in presiding over that great monster tea-meeting in the neighbouring parish of Banham, I considered toast, bread and butter, and tea were sufficient for harvestmen, and I believe I have been referred to at some public meetings as having advocated such a doctrine. Merely to set myself right with the labouring classes I will just read a sentence from the published report of my speech at Banham. I said, - ‘We must do away with the present disgraceful system of largess. We don't want to put a stop to a man’s rational enjoyment - we don't want to interfere with his beef, his pudding, and his ale, but let him use all these things in moderation, and let him go home sober.’ That is, my friends, what I wish to say. I wish you to use, and not to abuse, God’s gifts. One point more. Let me express the gratification I feel in presiding over a meeting at which, if anything, women predominate. I always feel more at home when I have got the ladies about me. It is on their account and on account of their children that I have denounced the disgraceful system of men getting drunk at the alehouse and leaving their children starving at home. But, women, you also have a duty to perform, and mind you do it - make your homes agreeable; make the attractions of home so great that your husbands will not wish to go to the public-house.” After some further observations, the health of the noble earl was proposed by the minister of the pariah, the Rev. S. W. Bourne, and drunk amid loud cheers. |
