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good. (Cheers ) Long might the Borough with which they were all connected and of which
they were all so proud, lead the way in the future as it had done in the past in so many public
and private enterprises. (Cheers.)
Mr. J. Lowles, M.P. cordially seconded the vote of thanks, observing that he felt it a
great privilege to take part in such an important function as they were met to inaugurate.
Having been for many years a keen supporter of baths and washhouses, he rejoiced that this
was one of the important schemes in which Shoreditch had led the way, or at all events where
they had not been far behind in following the lead of others, and he rejoiced that baths and
washhouses were taking so prominent and deserved a place in the scheme. It was a wonderful
enterprise and an important experiment to utilize waste material instead of carting it away a
long distance at a great expense, and to give a new illuminant to Shoreditch, which he felt sure
would be appreciated and widely used. They also proposed to give healthful recreation to the
people by the public library; and all these things were going to be monuments of the enterprise
and foresight of Shoreditch men. (Hear, hear.) He ventured to say that the increased
education of their time brought with it increased self-respect, and that of course at once created
a demand not merely for more attention to the needs of the mind and the supply of literature,
but for increased attention to the needs of the body in the provision of such establishments as
they were met to celebrate. (Hear, hear.) He joined in the testimony of respect to Mr. Sawell,
not merely for his personal qualities, but because he represented a body doing so much for
Shoreditch, a body which would have his respect and every possible support he could give in
everything it undertook. (Cheers.)
Mr. Sawell thanked the assembly most heartily for their cordial vote of thanks, and
the last two speakers for the kind and too flattering things they had said about him. He
could not either let the opportunity pass without expressing his thanks to the Vestry of
Shoreditch for the honour conferred upon him as their Chairman in selecting him to perform
this ceremony. He was glad to find that the Vestry were taking a high ideal of their duty
and their powers with regard to other matters besides this scheme ; but the boon and blessing
of these baths and washhouses to the inhabitants he believed to be incalculable. They
would better appreciate this, when he reminded them, that the large proportion of the
inhabitants of that densely populated district, through the force of circumstances were
compelled to live in one or two rooms, and those not of very large dimensions. Even among
the larger houses of that district he did not believe one in 50 could boast of a bath room.
Therefore he was convinced that these baths would be well patronised, and that as Mr.
Wakeling had said, they would create a demand What with baths, washhouses, libraries,
and technical schools, Shoreditch would soon be a place much better worth living in than it
had been. (Cheers.)
Mr. Henry Ward said he had been asked to move a vote of thanks to Mr. Wakeling,
Chairman of the Baths and Washhouses Committee. As an engineer it had been his lot to
design the engineering work for half a dozen or so London baths constructed in the last dozen
years, and after a close examination of the plans, in which he took a great interest, he could
cordially confirm all Mr. Wakeling had said, that the inhabitants of Shoreditch would have
baths and washhouses second to none. They had so many specialities about these baths, and
the very excellent idea of utilising the heat from their dust destructor, which would otherwise
be lost, would make their working expenses less than any bath he knew of in London. He
looked upon washhouses as almost a greater boon than baths. Those living in the East End
knew the difficulties wives had to contend with. When living in one or two rooms, and when
the clothes had to be hung on the top of an asphalte roof in the smoky air they dried as dirty
as before. Under such conditions people could appreciate the advantages of a public institution,
where for something like three halfpence per hour house wives could do all their washing in
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