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47
[From The Hackney Express and Shoreditch Observer of 8th May, 1897.]
A MEMORABLE MAY DAY.
SUNSHINE ON THE SCHEME.
THE BATHS FOUNDATION STONE WELL AND TRULY LAID.
The growing public confidence in the great work which the Shoreditch Vestry have in
hand at Pitfield Street was pleasantly manifested on Saturday afternoon. It was most appropriate
that the first public function in the history of the baths and laundry—the laying of the
foundation stone—should be memorialized in the memory by glorious sunshine and happy
auguries of success. The men who have unreservedly thrown their wisdom and energy into the
work were supported by a representative assembly of parishioners; the speeches were short and
bright; and the actual ceremony was performed by Mr. Sawell with that grace and dignity
which have won general esteem for him during his year's work in the chair. The company
assembled in a marquee on the site of the men's private baths, and at the upper end near
Pitfield Street, embowered in choice flowers and bright flags, sat the Chairman of the Vestry,
supported on the right by Mrs. Sawell, and on the left by the Chairman of the day, Mr. E. J.
Wakeling. Grouped around the stone were the members of the Baths Committee, the Member
for Hoxton, Prof. Stuart, Mr. J. Lowles, M.P., Mr. H. Ward, C.E.,L.C.C., Mr. Graham Wallas, M. A.,
M.L.S.B., Mr. Edwin Austin, J.P., and the Architects, Messrs. Cross and Hare.
The general company included Mr. R. G. Alabaster, M.A.B., J.P., Mr. R. Marshall, J.P.,
Mr. J. Little (Chairman of the Board of Guardians), Mr. J. D. Grout and Mrs. Grout, Mr. W.
Beasley and Mrs. Beasley, Mr. Jas. Rowlands, Dr. Garnett, Mr. J. W. Vandy, Mr. E. A. R. Adams
and Mrs. Adams, ,Mr. Plant (librarian), and Mrs. Plant, Messrs. J. W. Vandy, J. A. Clark,
W. Sm ther, H. E. Kershaw, J. Hurlin, J. T. Clark, J. King, R. A. Reeve, J. J. Clark, F. W. Hall,
J. Bootman, E. Biggs, J. Hyatt, J. Harverson, J. Styman, H. Alexander, A. Degerdon, G. A.
Clark, A. Little, F. M. Case, A. Carnall, F. C. Pond, T. Errington, and other ladies and
gentlemen.
The Baths Committee were represented by their Chairman, Mr. Wakeling, the ViceChairman,
Mr. Porter, and Messrs. W. C. Elsdon, W. Elven, J. J. Freeman, J. Frost, E. H.
Knight, T. Martindill, J. Cox, E. Moffatt H. Morris, T. Noble, W. F. Norton, A. Springett,
W. Steel, J. J. Trowbridge, H. Winkler, and Dr. H. Mansfield Robinson, Solicitor and Vestry
Clerk. These gentlemen welcomed the guests and superintended the proceedings.
The ceremony was fixed for three o'clock and a short delay in commencing was admirably
filled up with several selections by the band from the Hornchurch Cottage Homes, who were
present by permission of the Guardians. As usual the boys look well and played well, doing
credit to their excellent band master, Mr. Larter, and to the institution with which they are
connected.
The Chairman, Mr. Wakeling, gave an interesting review of the history of the public
baths movement in Shoreditch. In 1852 the Vestry adopted the Act and even went so far as to
appoint commissioners who further rose to the dignity of a seal, which was reproduced on the
programme. In 1882 the Vestry went through the same formality. In 1887 a committee was