Trusting to the justice of your Honourable Board to settle this long vexed question to the satisfaction of your Memorialists.
We beg to remain your obedient servants,The Enginemen and Firemen.
The most satisfactory feature about it is the more dignified language in which it is couched; in that respect it showed a marked advance upon the style of "your petitioners will ever pray," etc., as used ten years earlier. The deputation, of which Mr. Parfitt was one, was received in quite a friendly manner, but it failed to pull off the programme. You shall see Mr. Parfitt's own story of these early efforts presently.
The year 1889 was one of splendid progress for the Society. The income from all sources was £5,843 9s. 11d., and the gross expenditure for the year was £3,298 7s. 5d., leaving the Society at the end of the year with a capital of £10,820. New branches had been opened at West Brompton, Doncaster. Boston, Hulme, Barnsley, Guildford, Shrewsbury, Didcot, Swindon and Taunton, and there had been a total increase of 1,232 members, "by far the largest increase gained in one year during the Society's history. We feel sure it will be eclipsed in 1890."
Let us look at once at the tenth annual report, the one for 1890, which records:" Very satisfactory progress has been made both in finance and in the numerical strength of the Society. The total income was £8,407, and expenditure for all purposes during the year has been £4,271, leaving a clear gain to the Society of £4,136, and a balance at the end of 1890 of £14,956." Sickness claims had been very severe that year, as a result of prolonged frost and fog in the winter, and some branches had to obtain advances from the general fund to meet liabilities. Out-of-work relief was granted 45 members owing to the "unfortunate" strike in South Wales, alluded to later. Commenting on this episode, the report says:
"Members should prevent as far as possible these unfortunate strikes. In most cases they only embitter the feelings of employers towards the employed. With a strong body of men
