Fifty Years Ago: “The Birmingham Post,” May 10th, 1889: the Deritend Chaplaincy: A conference of the solicitors to the three candidates seeking election to the chaplaincy of St. John’s, Deritend, was held yesterday, at the invitation of Mr. R. A. Pinsent (Barlow, Smith and Pinsent), solicitor to the trustees, for the purpose of agreeing upon arrangements for the conduct of the election. The meeting took place at Mr. Pinsent’s office. Mr. Edward Rowlands represented the Rev. Llewellyn Davies; Mr. G. T. Smith, the Rev. C. J. Sneath; and Mr. A. H. Coley, the Rev. J. O. West. The trust prescribes no method of carrying out the election, and Mr. Pinsent followed the precedent of former elections in inviting representatives of the candidates to join in mutual agreement. Nominations having been fixed for May 13th and arrangements made to submit the names to a public meeting of householders on May 17th, it was assumed that a poll would be demanded. The principle of the ballot was thought to be desirable if it could be carried out. Mr. Pinsent said he was advised by Mr. Ball, the deputy Town Clerk, that the expense of an election by ballot would be about £80 more than by means of the open voting adopted at the last election. Ultimately it was agreed to ask Alderman Johnson to act as returning officer and to refer to him the consideration of whether voting by ballot paper could be arranged. Mr. Pinsent asked each candidate to deposit £150 to meet expenses; and it was agreed that if the expenditure exceeded £450 the balance should be defrayed by the successful candidate.
[ln the event a poll was demanded and taken. Mr. West secured 6,072 votes; Mr. Sneath 5,038; Mr. Davies, who stood as a True Protestant,” 167. — Ed., “B. P.”]
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948