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“By their fruits ye shall know them” - 1874
There seems little doubt that the 'gentleman' complained about in this letter was the Reverend Stammers. Although he appears to have been well respected in the village by several sectors of the community. He was also feared greatly for his 'hell-fire and damnation' attitude to what he considered 'sinful' and to whom he considered 'sinners'
The Loughborough Advertiser - October 1874
To the Editor of the Loughborough Advertiser
Dear Sir-
During the past few weeks there has been transacted among us a piece of business the most shamefully, unjust, and tyrannical of any it has been our lot to know. The chief actor in the affair was the worthy trustee of a charity, assisted by his sister.
The persons suffering being a Leicester operative, with his wife and a family of small children, who, it appears, came to this village a short time ago, and having nowhere else, took up their residence in a house left as charity to the poor of Quorndon, by some one far better disposed than this worthy trustee; which house he took from a former tenant, whose tenancy did not expire until the 29th September. This arrangement, however, did not suit the worthy trustee, who did what he could to persuade the poor man to leave; failing in this, his sister, on a subsequent occasion, with an amount of insolence happily only possessed by few, told the woman of the house she had better take back her goods to Leicester, from whence she came. This kind of treatment was dealt out to them during the whole of their stay, and at the last visit of the worthy trustee, he informed them that on no account whatever, could they remain longer than the 29th September, as every arrangement had been made for the pulling down of the house. This, however, proved to be untrue, for the house is again to be occupied, showing that it was only to get them to go – and go they did.
This gentleman, who is placed where he is to teach men to love one another, and who to-day (Sunday) will, I have no doubt, with his usual eloquence, impress upon his hearers the desirability of doing unto all men as they would should be done unto them, turned them out, and they had perforce to take shelter in a half-finished house, without windows or doors, with a ladder in lieu of stairs and with only one room in which there was a floor laid.
We know this gentleman is greatly averse to Leicester operatives coming into the village; perhaps he is afraid they will lessen his power. Apart from this, we have no idea why it should be done. And now we would ask, was this gentleman justified in keeping the house empty when it might have been occupied, thereby taking from the poor what should be theirs? For no other purpose, that we are aware, than to show his spleen.
Hoping you will kindly give me space, I am, sir,
Yours respectfully
AN OBSERVER.
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Submitted on: |
2013-03-17 |
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Submitted by: |
Kathryn Paterson |
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Artefact ID: |
1766 |
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Print: |
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