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47
The Vestry, as the elected representative body of a community
comprising 66,000 persons, desire most loyally and humbly to
offer their sincere congratulations to your Majesty upon the
completion of this period of your reign, a period not only
unsurpassed in its duration by any of your Majesty's illustrious
predecessors who have occupied the throne, but unequalled in
the advancement of the health, welfare and happiness of your
Majesty's subjects in the history of the world.
We humbly pray Almighty God that in His infinite mercy He
may grant to your Majesty a continuance of health and strength
that your beneficent reign may be yet prolonged for many years.
Sealed with the Common Seal of the Vestry this 29th day of
July, 1897.
ARTHUR MILLWARD, Chairman of the Vestry
R. E. PAGET, Vestry Clerk.
The Vestry also granted the use of the Town
Hail for the purpose of giving a Dinner to the poor
of the Parish, in connection with the fund raised
by the Lord Mayor at the suggestion of the Princess
of Wales. Dinners were also given at five other
places in the Parish (to 3,000 persons altogether), and
during their progress the Prince and Princess of
Wales visited two of them, and expressed their
satisfaction at the meals provided, and the arrangements
which had been made. The Yestry, by a vote,
expressed their warm thanks to its Chairman, A.
Millward, Esq., J.P., for his untiring services in the
conduct of the Dinners, and for the efficient and
complete arrangements made and carried out under
his direction.
The Town Hall was also very tastefully and
amply illuminated on the 22nd, 23rd.and 24th of
June, and the illuminations were much admired by
the inhabitants and others.
A subscription was also raised by the Rev. J. H.
Rose, M.A., Capt. F. T. Penton, Messrs. Wm.
Robson, J. Gibson, F. G. Scheib, and G. A. Potter,
amounting to £285, with which no less than 15,000