Ich fange hier mal ein neues Thema an, weil dieses in einem anderen Thread aufkam. Es geht um den Club in 86, Leman-street. Diese Adresse gab David Cohen als die seine an. Martin Fido identifizierte diese jedoch mit einem "Protestant Boys' Club", so dass der Jude David Coher dort kaum gewohnt haben dürfte. Viel wahrscheinlicher ist jedoch, dass Cohen nebenan in 84, Leman-street wohnte, da sich dort das "Poor Jews Temporary Shelter" befand.
Laut Postal Directory befanden sich in 86, Leman-street:
86 East London (Blue) Shoeblack Society, Wm. Tourell, man
86 Whittington Club & Chambers, Wm. Tourell, man
Bei der Eröffnung des Whittington Clubs war Prince Albert Victor zugegen:
Glasgow Herald
Monday, 2 February 1885
PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR AND THE WHITTINGTON CLUB
On Saturday afternoon Prince Albert Victor performed his first official act in the metropolis in opening the new club and chambers for working boys which has been established in Leman Street, Whitechapel. The scheme of this institution is an attempt to provide lodging and club accomodation for working boys coming from workhouses, industrial schools, &c., who have no relatives in London. It has been arranged to unite with this institution the refuge boys belonging to the East London (Blue) Shoeblacks' Society, which has been for some years successfully worked at 96 Mansell Street. It has, however, been thought desirable that the two sets of boys should be kept apart, and the premises are well adapted to that purpose, consisting of two district buildings, connected only by passages, and having separate entrances from streets, front and back, but so that the management and kitchen will serve for both. Taking 400 club boys at 2d, 70 working boys at 1s 6d, and 60 refuge boys at 1s per week each, it is estimated that the institution will be self-supporting; but it is hoped that the scheme, which supplies a great want, will be well supported by the Corporation and Guilds of the City of London, and by the employers of labour in the city and East End, to meet the preliminary expenses, which will amount to something like £3000.
The Prince, who was unattended, arrived at the institution shortly before three o'clock, and was greeted with cheers from the crowd. He was received in the lower recreation-room, opening from the entrance door, by the Reception Committee, consisting of the Rev. M.S.A. Walrond, chairman; Mr Hoare, treasurer; Mr Arnold Forster, hon. secretary; Lord Sudeley, the Rev. S.A. Barnett, Mr A. Talbot, Mr C. Fremantle, and Mr Henry Goschen.
From here Prince Albert Victor was conducted through the building, under a doorway on which the words, "Welcome, Prince" formed the chief ornamentation, ultimately reaching the Shoeblacks' Dining-Room, which had been most tastefully decorated, and was well filled with a large company of ladies and gentlemen.
The Prince having been conducted to a chair on the [?] at the upper end of the room, the Rev. M. Walrond, after welcoming His Royal Highness, proceeded to the club, describing the intentions with which it had been established. The remark that amongst the soldiers now serving in the Soudan were boys who had been in the Shoeblack Brigade attached to the home was received with applause.
At the conclusion of the address His Royal Highness said - I have much pleasure in declaring the Whittington Club open, and wishing it hearty success.
Lord Sudeley then proposed a vote of congratulation and thanks to the committee for their services, which was seconded by Mr Alderman and Sheriff Whitehead, and agreed to with acclamation.
The Rev. S.A. Barnett replied, briefly sketching the objects of the institution, and asked, in conclusion, to be allowed to thank his Royal Highness for coming among them. The presence, he said, of the highest in the land among the lads of Whitechapel made a fit opening day for an institution whose subject was the obliteration of class distinction by the medium of friendship.
The vote of thanks to the Prince was seconded by the Hon. C. Fremantle, and was responded to briefly by the Royal visitor, who afterwards inscribed his name in the visitors' book. He was subsequently conducted to the gymnasium, where the youths of the establishment had assembled. On leaving he was again greeted with loud cheers from the crowd, which, despite the bad weather, had increased to a very large gathering during the visit.
Da es sich um seinen ersten öffentlichen Auftritt handelte, wurde das Ereignis auch in seinem Nachruf erwähnt:
The Times (London)
15 January 1892
[...]He had, indeed, made a first appearance some years before-namely, on January 31, 1885, immediately after he had come of age, when he opened a Boys' Club in Leman-street, Whitechapel. Among the words which he uttered at the time these may be quoted:-
I wish to help you to be a credit to this club by asking you to remember two things. First, whatever you do, whether it be blacking a pair of shoes, practicing gymnastics, reading a book, helping a friend-whatever it is, do it as well as you can. "If a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well," is a good old English motto. Secondly, never do what you know to be wrong. Often you will feel inclined, either through your own wishes or through the promptings of companions, to do something you would like but which your conscience tells you ought not to be done. Then is the time not to give way; be brave, stand firm, refuse under any circumstances to do what you are not sure is right. May I ask you to remember these two things? If you will do so, then, as you grow up you will be worthy to play your part as English citizens. When you come to years of discretion you will be able to judge for yourselves whether you will remain here in England, or whether you will seek your share in the English lands beyond the seas. There is plenty of room out there, ampler air and larger aims, and here you seem rather crowded. May God bless you all whether here or there.[...]
In den Jahren nach der Eröffnung findet sich der Club auch in den Nachrichten diverser Zeitungen:
The Ipswich Journal
Monday, 2 July 1888
FLOWER SERVICE.- At the parish church on Sunday afternoon a flower service was held which was well attended. The children belonging to the church schools assembled in the schoolroom, and, bended by the choir boys in surplices and the Vicar (the Rev. A.T. Mitton), walked in procession to the church, singing the while. A short service was conducted by the Vicar; afterwards all who had flowers were invited to bring them to the altar, where they were placed in order by Mr John Hayward and Mr Robt. Wells. There were some magnificent bouquets and baskets, which were packed in large hampers and consigned to "The Lady Superintendent, Evelina Hospital, Southwark Bridge-road," "The Whittington Club, Leman-street, London," and "The Reverend Mother, Hospital for Children, Nazareth House, Hammersmith." The collection was for the Church Sunday School.
The Times (London)
Friday, 16 November 1888
LAW AND ORDER IN WHITECHAPEL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, - Will you permit me, through your columns, to offer to the friends of law and order an opportunity of maintaining and extending those principles in the part of London that has become so notorious of late? Some two or thee years back a small Volunteer Cadet Corps was formed in Whitechapel for the boys of the neighbourhood. It's headquarters are the Whittington Club in Leman-street, and it is attached to the 1st Tower Hamlets Rifle Volunteer Brigade. In spite of the serious difficulties which necessarily attend a new experiment of this kind, it has hitherto held its own with good success and is very popular among the boys themselves, to some hundreds of whom it could now afford the means of physical exercise and discipline, greatly wanting among our city populations. Some of its members have passed into the Regular Forces, and it was inspected last July by Colonel Stracey, commanding the Scots Guards, who gave a most satisfactory report on the present condition of the corps. The working cost of the undertaking is not very great, consisting chiefly of expenses for drill instructors and bandmaster, purchase of uniforms, hire of drill-hall, and marches out; but considering the class of boys for whom the corps is intended it is impossible that it should be self-supporting. The officers, therefore, are obliged to ask for the co-operation of others in extending the influence of the movement, and securing the moral and physical advantages of regular training for a district where the history of the last few months and years has proved them to be so much needed.
Subscriptions may be sent to the Commanding Officer, 86, Leman-street, Whitechapel; or to the Hon. C. W. Fremantle, C.B., the Royal Mint; or to the E.L.V.C. Fund, Messrs. Cox & Co.'s, 16 and 17, Charing-cross.
I am, Sir, &c.,
PAUL METHUEN, Colonel.
Toynbee-hall, Commercial-street, Whitechapel,
Nov. 13.
Pall Mall Gazette
Tuesday, 23 April 1889
A WORD FOR A NATIONAL ARMY
By One Who Believes In It
[...]It will be said, of course, that the need is already met in characteristically English fashion by the Volunteer movement. But recent events have shown us only too plainly that large numbers of the Volunteers are not in earnest, but are determined to remain toy soldiers; and, besides, valuable as that movement may be for our middle classes, it hardly touches the really poor. Something, it is true, might be done for the boys, for they as a rule have more enterprise and leisure, and are altogether better off than the grown men. But the Government gives no assistance to cadet corps, and though a company of cadets attached to the Tower Hamlets has been organized in connection with the Whittington Club in Leman-street, E., and the Eton Mission at Hackney Wick, the officers find it almost impossible to raise by private subscription the very moderate sum that is required to carry it on with efficiency; and even they do not reach the poorest classes, but a set of boys removed from the poorest by two or three grades.[...]
Pall Mall Gazette
Thursday, 27 November 1890
At the Whittington Club for working lads at 86, Leman-street, E., a debate will be opened on Saturday by Mr J.A. Duncan, M.P., on the eight hours question. The chair will be taken at 8 P.M. by Mr J.A.B. Bruce, secretary of the Eighty Club.
Reynolds's Newspaper
Sunday, 30 November 1890
THE EIGHT HOURS QUESTION
Last night, Mr J.A. Duncan, M.P. for Barrow, opened a debate at the Whittington Club, Leman-street, Whitechapel, on the subject of the Eight Hours question. Mr J.A.B. Bruce, secretary of the Eighty Club, presided, and briefly introduced Mr Duncan. Mr Duncan, in opening the debate, said he did not speak in favour of a general Eight Hours Bill. He advocated, however, a careful consideration of the demands made by working men at Trades Union Congresses and elsewhere with respect to the question. He pointed out the differences which put the Eight Hours Bill for Miners on a different footing to that affecting other trades. In this regard, he advocated the appointment of a Royal Commission, or some such means of ascertaining what the real desire of the working man was in respect of a measure affecting the Eight Hours question, and the effect it would have upon the trade of the country. The discussion was continued by various members of the club, and the meeting proved a successful augury as to the future debates of the club, though no formal resolution was decided upon.
P.S. In The Era finden sich etliche Rezensionen von Aufführungen eines Whittington Dramatic Club. Ich weiss aber nicht, ob der mit dem Whittington Club in der Leman-street verbandelt ist.
Thema: 86, Leman-street (Gelesen 10593 mal)