Recollections of a Busy Life: Being the Reminiscences of a Liverpool Merchant 1840-1910

I attended a special Council at Windsor to receive the "accolade." We were entertained at luncheon, and after waiting about in the corridors for some time we were ushered one by one into the oak dining-room. The gentleman who preceded me, being lame, could not kneel, and the Queen knighted him standing. When I entered the room there was no cushion to kneel upon. Her Majesty noticed it at once, and exclaimed, "Where is the cushion?" and A.D.C.'s flew in all directions in search of one. Meantime I was kept standing, feeling not a little nervous; the Queen apparently thought it was a good joke, and laughed, for it appeared from the time occupied in finding a cushion that cushions did not abound at Windsor.

I received through Lord Claud Hamilton a very kind message of congratulation from the Prince of Wales, who had evidently been greatly impressed by his visit to Liverpool.

Although the honour of knighthood was ostensibly bestowed in connection with the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the opening of the new docks, I was semi-officially informed that it was really a recognition of my work in connection with the Fenian movement.

Honorary Freedom of Liverpool

Much as I valued the honour of knighthood, I still more greatly esteemed the distinction conferred upon me by my fellow-citizens when they bestowed upon me the freedom of the city – the greatest honour any man can receive. Other honours are conferred for political and other services, all more or less meritorious; but to be singled out by those among whom you have lived all your life in order to receive the greatest distinction it is in their power to offer is an honour worth living for, and particularly when its bestowal is so jealously safe-guarded and kept so entirely free from political bias as it is in Liverpool. It then becomes doubly precious. It is easy in a great community to make enemies. Even the very success which may crown one's efforts to do good may produce them. A unanimous vote of a large City Council is, therefore, not an easy thing to obtain, and is in itself a great compliment. I may perhaps be pardoned if I venture to insert a short account of the proceedings of the Special Council when the Freedom was conferred, taken from the Liverpool Post and Mercury: —

"In the presence of a large and distinguished assembly of ladies and gentlemen, the freedom of the city of Liverpool was yesterday afternoon presented, in the Council chamber at the Town Hall, to Sir William Forwood, the father of the City Council. Sir William was first elected to the Council as a representative of Pitt Street Ward in November, 1868, and nine years later, in 1877, he was promoted to the aldermanic bench, of which he is still a member. He was Mayor of the city in 1880-81. He is also a member of the city bench, of the county bench for Lancashire and Cheshire, chairman of the Liverpool County Quarter Sessions, and a deputy-lieutenant for Lancashire. The Lord Mayor (Alderman Charles Petrie) presided, and, preceded by the city regalia, he was accompanied into the Council chamber by Sir Thomas Hughes, Mr. John Brancker, and Mr. B. Levy (freemen of the city), Mr. R. A. Hampson, Mr. R. D. Holt, and Mr. T. Burke (the mover, seconder, and supporter of the resolution of the City Council in favour of conferring the freedom on Sir William Forwood), Sir William Tate, Sir John A. Willox, M.P., Mr. A. Crosthwaite (ex-Lord Mayor), Mr. John Williamson, and many other prominent citizens. There was also a very large attendance of members of the City Council. Alderman W. B. Bowring sent a telegram regretting his inability to be present through indisposition.

"The Lord Mayor, in opening the interesting proceedings said: I have much pleasure in asking the Recorder, Mr. Hopwood, kindly to read the resolution of the Council conferring the honorary freedom of the city upon Sir William Bower Forwood.

"The Recorder: My Lord Mayor, I read the minute of the Corporation. 'At a meeting of the Council of the City of Liverpool, holden on Wednesday, the 4th day of June, 1902, under the Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act, 1885, present the Right Hon. Charles Petrie (Lord Mayor), and a full Council, it was moved by Councillor Hampson, seconded by Councillor R. D. Holt, supported by Councillor Burke, and resolved unanimously that, in pursuance of statute 48 and 49 of Victoria, chap. 29, entitled an act to enable municipal corporations to confer the honorary freedom of boroughs upon persons of distinction, the honorary freedom of the city be conferred upon Alderman Sir William Bower Forwood, in recognition of the eminent services he has rendered to the municipality throughout his membership of the Council, extending over a period of thirty-three years, during the course of which he has filled the office of chief magistrate and other public positions with credit to himself and benefit to the community, and especially for the deep interest he has taken in the establishment of libraries and reading-rooms in the city.'

"The Lord Mayor: Sir William Forwood, ladies and gentlemen, it is not often we meet in this chamber as a Council under such happy auspices as we are met to-day. We are gathered here with one accord to do honour to one of our number whom we are pleased to term the Father of the Council, Sir William Forwood. Not that he is by any means the oldest man amongst us, but he happens to have been in the Council longer than any other member. It is now nearly thirty-four years since Sir William was first returned as member for Pitt Street Ward, on the 2nd November, 1868, and ever since then he has held a seat in the City Council, and, as you all know, he has served upon nearly all the important committees of the Council – for instance, the Finance, Estate, Watch, Water, Library, Museum and Arts, and Parliamentary Committees. As chairman of the Parliamentary Committee he rendered very valuable services in the opposition to the Manchester Ship Canal, and also with regard to railway rates. But for many years past Sir William has unstintingly devoted his time and his great ability to the Library, Museum, and Arts Committee. And I am sure the city is very greatly indebted to him for the valuable work that that committee has done."

The Lord Mayor proceeded to enlarge upon Sir William's services to the city, and in conclusion said: – "I have now great pleasure, Sir William, as chief magistrate of the city, in asking you on behalf of the citizens to accept this illuminated resolution of the Council and also this casket, and I am sure I am only echoing the sentiment of everyone here to-day, and not only those here, but those outside, when I say that we wish you long life, health, and happiness to continue in the honour which you hold. I will now ask you to sign the roll of honorary freemen.

"The scroll on which is inscribed the freedom of the city is designed and illuminated by James Orr Marples (Mr. Rutherfoord), Liverpool and London Chambers, Exchange. The vellum is bound and backed with royal blue silk and attached to an ivory roller. At the top of the composition is the Liver crest and tridents between the arms and supporters of the city, and a view of the Town Hall. Below, on the left side, beautifully emblazoned, are the armorial bearings of Sir William B. Forwood, with the crest and knight's helmet, the steel visor raised. On a scroll beneath the shield is the motto 'Fide virtute et labore.' The civic regalia and the port of Liverpool occupy the bottom of the design. Pendant by a broad blue ribbon from the scroll is the official seal of the city of Liverpool.

"The scroll was enclosed in a handsome silver-gilt box, decorated with panel pictures of the Town Hall, Free Libraries, and Museum, in enamels.

"Sir William Forwood, having signed the roll, said: – My Lord Mayor, aldermen, councillors, and ladies and gentlemen, – Believe me it is most difficult, indeed it is well nigh impossible to find words adequately to convey to you all the gratitude which fills my heart, to tell you how deeply I appreciate and value the very great honour and distinction you have so very generously and graciously conferred upon me, or to thank you, my Lord Mayor, for the very eloquent, kind, but sadly too flattering terms in which you have made this presentation. The honorary freedom of the city of Liverpool, guarded by this Council with so much jealousy, and bestowed with such a frugal hand, is the greatest honour which this city can confer – it is a unique order of merit, it is not conferred by the favour of a monarch or minister, but by the spontaneous and unanimous voice of a great representative assembly, and as such is not surpassed by any similar order in this country. It is justly esteemed and valued by distinguished statesmen and philanthropists, and not less by successful soldiers who in the hour of their country's great anxiety have turned defeat into victory. How much more, then, must I prize it, the freedom of my native city, as one born in Liverpool, and who has spent his life in your midst, and whose only claim to this great honour is that he has endeavoured to be of some use to his fellow-citizens. How imperfect this service has been, how much more I might have done, no one is more conscious of than I am; but you in your great kindness and generosity have been good enough to overlook my shortcomings, and are content to recognise only my long services and my desire at all times to the best of my ability to promote the welfare of this important community. I thank you most sincerely and with all my heart; my children and my children's children will, I am sure, look upon this beautiful casket and the record which it contains with feelings of pride and gratification. It is an added charm to the presentation which you have made to me that I am permitted to associate with it the memory of my late brother, who gave to this city the best of his life, the best of his thought and work, and died in their service. His memory will be long cherished by all those who witnessed his public spirit, his long and his unselfish devotion to the interests of the people of Liverpool. I remember well the first time I entered this Town Hall. As a boy I had spent my summer holidays at the Edge Lane entrance to the Botanic Gardens, obtaining signatures to a petition to the Town Council asking them to purchase the land adjoining the Botanic gardens for a park. I obtained 62,000 signatures. I brought the petition down in a cab. I remember it was too bulky to carry, and it had to be rolled through the vestibule to the Town Clerk's office, which was then in this building. That petition was successful, and the Wavertree Park was the first of those beautiful parks which now girdle the city. My next appearance within these walls was as the proud representative for Pitt Street Ward. It serves to mark the flight of time when I call to mind that of the members of the Council when I entered it in 1868 only three now survive – Mr. Samuel Greg Rathbone, Mr. Philip Holt, and myself. Mr. Rathbone is already a freeman, and our roll of freemen would be greatly enriched if we could add the name of Liverpool's anonymous and great benefactor. Of the members who have since entered this Council, many have fallen by the wayside, many have retired into private life, some have gone forward to the Commons House of Parliament to bear their part in the government of the country; but a goodly number have, I am glad to say, remained faithful to the municipal government of the city, recognising that they can undertake no more noble or useful work. Municipal work is many sided: it is full of interests; it is very attractive, and even fascinating; and it brings with it its own reward in the satisfaction of feeling that you are doing good. It may lack the glamour and prestige of the Imperial Parliament, but it has this great advantage: the City Council affords greater opportunities of initiating and carrying into effect measures for the benefit of the people among whom we live, and we have the added advantage of seeing the growth and fruition of our work. Who can compare the Liverpool of to-day with the Liverpool of thirty years ago without feeling thankful for what has been done, and proud that he has been privileged to take part in the doing of it? It seems only the other day we were wrestling with such an insanitary condition of things that the unhealthiness of Liverpool was a byword, and the prevalence of drunkenness and crime caused this city to be alluded to as the 'black spot on the Mersey.' Great social and sanitary problems had to be solved, which for years defied all attempts at their solution – it was only when broader and more enlightened views of municipal responsibility and duty came to the front, supported by a healthy and more vigorous public opinion outside, that these problems were grappled with, with such intelligence and determination that the Liverpool of to-day can challenge comparison with any city in the world – not only in the excellence and efficiency of its municipal government and administration but in its enlightened policy in dealing with insanitary property, housing the poor, the treatment of infectious disease, and last but not least, in the suppression and prevention of drunkenness and crime. You have, my Lord Mayor, alluded to the work done by the Library, Museum, and Arts Committee over which it is my privilege to preside. This may not bulk very largely in the public eye, but nevertheless it is very real, and is doing much for the intellectual and moral welfare of the people, and helping to make their lives brighter and happier. When we get those additional funds which I hope the generosity of the Council will give to us at no distant date, our work must progress by leaps and bounds. While the freedom of Liverpool which you have so very generously presented to me is the symbol of the highest honour conferred by a great city, whose ships cover the seas and whose commerce fills every corner of the globe, it is more than all this – it is the kind expression of goodwill and approval of friends with whom it has been my high privilege to work for so many years – an expression which I greatly value and appreciate, and for which I return you once again my most sincere and heartfelt thanks."

CHAPTER X.

POLITICAL WORK

Party politics have always been very prominent in Liverpool, partly no doubt due to the old Conservative associations, and partly to the presence in the city of so many Orangemen. Liverpool in my time has been mainly Conservative, and indeed, except for a brief period, this party has held the Town Hall and ruled over the municipal destinies of the town. It is, however, pleasant to recognise the good work done by the Liberals, who have always taken their share of committee work and most loyally helped forward the government of the city. The annual fight for the possession of the Town Hall has not been so much to secure party domination in the city as to control its representation in Parliament. This was an important consideration when the city voted as one unit for its three members. But it is of less importance now that the city is divided up into nine wards, each having its own representative in Parliament. The day may come when politics will happily cease to influence the municipal elections.

My earliest recollection of a general election is of being present on the hustings erected in front of the Town Hall. The nominations took place on the hustings, and the occasion was taken advantage of to ply the candidates with questions, and the proceedings seldom ended without some horse-play, the throwing of rotten eggs and bags of flour, etc. Of those prominent in these early elections I remember Tom Bold, the Tory tactician; Alderman Livingston, always to the front in a political fight; Mr. Alderman Rigby, the Blucher of the party. Money flowed freely, and also beer on the day of the election, and the town was kept more or less in a turmoil. All must rejoice in the quiet and orderly character of an election day under the new conditions which now prevail.

Very shortly after entering the Town Council I was asked to undertake the duties of "Whip," though we did not then dignify the position by that high-sounding name; in other words I acted as honorary secretary to the Conservative party in the Council. The appointment was probably made at the instance of my brother Arthur, who was already very active in the political world, but for business reasons could not at that time make himself very prominent. "Party" politics were never very congenial to me, although all my leanings were Conservative. I have felt that "Party" makes one acquainted with strange bedfellows, and induces men to do and say things from which they would shrink in everyday life; and I think "party" considerations are carried too far, and the best interests of the country are too often sacrificed at its call.

In my early years the parliamentary representation of the borough was divided, Mr. T. B. Horsfall and Mr. Ewart being our members. I knew them only slightly. Mr. S. R. Graves defeated Mr. Ewart in 1865. Mr. Graves had a fine commanding presence and all the address and bonhomie of an Irishman. He quickly became very popular at Westminster and did excellent work for Liverpool. His knowledge of shipping was much appreciated in the House, and it was generally expected that he would be the Secretary or the First Lord of the Admiralty, but his career was prematurely cut off, to the great grief of Liverpool; he died in 1873. His statue stands in St. George's Hall. I was secretary to the memorial committee. After defraying the cost of the statue we devoted the balance of the money collected to the endowment of "Graves" scholars at the Seamen's Orphanage, an institution with which Mr. Graves had been very closely identified.

The parliamentary candidates for the vacancy were Mr. John Torr, a prominent merchant, who stood in the Conservative interest, and Mr. William S. Caine, another Liverpool man, supported by the Radicals and teetotalers. I acted as the honorary Secretary for Mr. Torr. The election was hotly contested, but Mr. Torr was returned by a majority of nearly 2,000. In those days we paid much court and deference to our members. They were held in high personal esteem, always received the hospitality of our leading men, and were never allowed to stay at an hotel.

Lord Sandon became our member in 1868, defeating Mr. William Rathbone. Naturally a very delicate man with a highly strung nervous system, the representation of such an important constituency as Liverpool was a source of much anxiety to him. Any subject brought under his notice became to him a matter of the first and most urgent importance. Lord Sandon was a true aristocrat, refined in manner and most courteous and considerate to all. He continued to represent Liverpool until 1880, when he succeeded his father in the Peerage and became the Earl of Harrowby.

Upon the death of Mr. Torr in 1880, Mr. Edward Whitley became our member. Mr. Whitley had for many years been the most popular man in Liverpool. An ardent Conservative, a good Evangelical Churchman, and excelling in good works, the name of Edward Whitley was a household word in Liverpool. He was the leader of the Tory party in the Council, and was a frequent speaker, but his speeches, though fluent, were not convincing. Mr. Whitley, although a very diligent member, was not a conspicuous success in Parliament; he failed to catch the ear of the House. Few men have done more for their native town or were more highly respected in their day and generation. He died in 1892.

In 1885 the party representation of Liverpool underwent an important change, a partition of the city into nine divisions being effected, each returning one member. It has seemed to me that this has involved some loss of individuality on the part of the nine members, and that Liverpool has taken comparatively little interest in their doings, and I am inclined to doubt if the city exercises as much influence in the affairs of the nation, or if our local parliamentary business is as well looked after.

The effacement of the private member is due very much to his inability to initiate legislation. If he introduces a bill it has to run the chances of the ballot, and if it is a good measure and gets a good place in the ballot, it is too frequently adopted by the Government, and in this way the private member loses his individuality and there is little inducement for him to originate legislation.

Mr. Rathbone, when he was our member, had an office and a staff of clerks in his house at Prince's Gate, London, for the purpose of looking after the parliamentary business of Liverpool, and it has never since been so systematically and so well attended to.

The contest for the County in 1868, when Mr. Gladstone and Mr. R. A. Cross (now Lord Cross) were the candidates, is very fresh in my memory. The question of the day was the Irish church. Mr. Gladstone delivered a series of very brilliant addresses, but to the surprise of everyone Mr. Cross's replies were equally brilliant, and we thought very crushing. We took the candidates, Cross and Blackburn, in a coach and four, to canvass Colonel Blundell at Crosby Hall, and Mr. Weld Blundell at Ince.

I was shortly afterwards made chairman of the Waterloo Polling District, and in 1880 became chairman of the Southport Division. The first contest in this division was between our candidate, Mr. John Edwards Moss (now Sir John Edwards Moss, Bart.), and Dr. Pilkington (now Sir George Pilkington). It was an uphill fight; Southport had always been a Radical place, and remained true to her Radical principles. The electors were very fastidious; they took exception to our candidate wearing rings on his fingers, and helping himself while speaking to a little sherry and water out of his flask. We unfortunately lost the election.

When the next election came round, we had to look about for another candidate, and tried for several, but they were not attracted to Southport; in the end we invited the Honourable George Curzon, the eldest son of Lord Scarsdale, of Kedleston. He had lately been defeated at Derby, but he was a young man, only 27, with a record of a very brilliant university career, and had been president of the Union at Oxford. Mr. Curzon accepted our invitation, and came down to Southport to deliver his first speech, which was very brilliant, and quite took everyone by surprise. He was very boyish in looks, which occasioned one rough Lancashire man to get up in the meeting and exclaim, "Thou art o'er young for us." Mr. Curzon quickly replied, "If you will return me as your member I promise I will improve upon that every day I live."

In moving a vote of confidence in Mr. Curzon I predicted that he would one day be Prime Minister, he so greatly impressed me with his intellectual power and great eloquence.

Mr. Curzon made a splendid and most active candidate. He addressed meetings in every village in the division, every speech was carefully thought out and prepared, and his industry was remarkable. When he stayed, as he frequently did, at "Ramleh," he retired to his room after breakfast and we did not see him again until dinner-time; he had been engaged all day working at his speech. He had the gift of taking pains. We won the election only by a majority of 460. Mr. Curzon remained our member for thirteen years, until he was appointed Viceroy of India. We fought three contests, winning each with an increased majority, until at the last election, in 1895, Mr. Curzon's majority was 804. His opponent, then Sir Herbert Naylor-Leyland, was formerly a Conservative, and as such stood for Colchester. He was made a baronet by the Liberals, and came and fought Southport as a Radical. When he stood for Colchester as a Conservative he had made abundant use of Mr. Curzon's speeches at Southport, delivering them as his own, and we did not fail to make capital of this amusing episode when he stood as a Radical for Southport.

Lady Naylor-Leyland was a beautiful American woman, one of the society beauties of the day, and she created a sensation as she drove about in an open carriage all decked with roses. But Mrs. Curzon was equally attractive; she was a bride, and had most charming and winning manners, and her presence on our platforms was a great help. It was my duty as chairman to escort her to our meetings, and I remember almost the last words she said to me on leaving Southport were, "Sir William, I shall always think of you getting me through crowds." Mr. Curzon occupied a furnished house at Southport during the election, and I stayed part of the time with them; and shall never forget Mrs. Curzon's gracious manner and her loving devotion to her husband. Alas for him and his great career, she died too soon. She gave her life, I fear, that she might support her husband in the splendid discharge of his duties in India.