The Story of the House of Cassell
no doubt he would get good interest for his money: he "did not believe in business that did not pay." There was a modern note in his observation that the arrangement for enabling members of the staff to acquire shares was "calculated to bring about good feeling between capital and labour, and offered a good example to employers generally."
In the next few years came a rapid break-up of the old associations. Petter died in the autumn of 1888. He had kept at work long after most men would have ceased to struggle. Towards the end Bonavia Hunt visited him where he lay in a private hotel in Piccadilly, and took his farewell after praying with him at the dying man's request. Turner had retired from the management in 1885, but remained on the Board. Galpin held the managing directorship till the year of Petter's death, when, at the age of 60, he resigned his active work, though he kept his seat as a director for another ten years. He wished his working colleagues good-bye and received from them a present at a meeting in 1889 in Exeter Hall, with the Right Hon. A. J. Mundella in the chair. Galpin was succeeded in the chairmanship of the Board by Turner, who presided for three years, to be followed by the late Viscount Wolverhampton (then Sir Henry Fowler), who held the post from 1891 to 1903, with the exception of his three years as a Minister in the Government of 1892-95. He gave place to Sir Clarence Smith.
In 1885, after Turner's retirement, Edward Whymper had been appointed general manager. The famous explorer and mountaineer had, some years before, as a member of a firm of engravers established by his father, undertaken to illustrate "Picturesque Europe "for Cassell's, and did it to their complete satisfaction. But it soon became clear to him that he did not, and would not, like managing, and he resigned. The directors filled the position in 1887, by the appointment of Sir Wemyss Reid, who became for eighteen years the central figure in the concern.
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