Birmingham Daily Gazette – Page 8

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Friday 31st December 1909

Atkinson’s Brewery Ltd.: Chairman’s Appeal to Vote Against the Budget: The annual meeting of the shareholders of Atkinson’s Brewery Ltd. was held at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, yesterday, Mr. F. A. Atkinson presided. According to the director’s report the profit for the year amounted to £14,437 3s 6d, to which was added the balance brought forward from last year of £2,348 16s 8d, making a total of £16,786 0s 2d. From this, however, there was deducted …

… leaving a balance of £710 10s, which was carried forward. …

The directors regretted that the profits did not admit a preference dividend. … (continues) …

A. H. Singleton considered that the directors should forgo their fees until the preference dividend was paid. The Chairman observed that the suggestion would receive consideration. Mr. Pinsent, a shareholder, considered that the suggestion was unreasonable. He thought that in times of adversity the directors were even more entitled to be paid than in times of prosperity. There was no doubt that the directors had experienced a most anxious time this year.

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.

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GROxxxx xxxxxx

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Monday 6th December 1909

The Mentally Defective: Mrs. Hume Pinsent Urges the Need for Continuous Control: Before a crowded attendance at the mens’ meeting in connection with Stratford-road Baptist Church, Sparkbrook, yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Hume Pinsent gave an address on mentally defective children, in which she denounced as cruel and non-economic the present methods of dealing with them. Mrs. Pinsent pointed out that in Birmingham the authorities had not waited for statutory compulsion to make them see to the training and care of the mentally defective and she dealt in detail with the’ education imparted at the various special schools. She said she was sorry that 60 percent of the children so dealt with never learned enough to be of any use to them. Many of them were taught and became fairly proficient at various manual trades but that “something wanting” in their mental equipment showed itself in a deplorable lack of self-control when not under supervision that led them to drink and crime and other vices. After all the care and attention bestowed upon them, only 5 per cent of the number could earn as much as 10s per week, and the remaining ninety out of every hundred had to be supported by the community — and supported, mostly, in prisons, the workhouses, the inebriate reformatories, and the asylums. Discussing suggested remedies, Mrs. Pinsent emphasised the importance of continuous control by authorities under one special State department, which should be compelled to provide suitable training, care, and after-control of the mentally defective.

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Thursday 11th November 1909

Birmingham University: the Principal’s Tribute to Sir Josiah Mason: “The University” was the title of the second of a series of lectures on Birmingham institutions given at the University, Edmund Street, last evening, and the lecturer was Sir Oliver Lodge, who brought his great knowledge to bear upon the subject in a manner which was very illuminating to the audience. The chair was occupied by Mr. Hume Pinsent … … (detailed discussion of the university) … …

Referenced

GRO0435 Devonport: Hume Chancellor Pinsent: 1857 – 1920

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Monday 8th November 1909

A Grievance Against the City Gas Committee: Care of the Feeble-Minded: The monthly meeting of the Birmingham Trades Council was held at the People’s Hall, Hurst Street, on Saturday evening, Mr. W. J. Morgan presided. … … Mentally Defective: Mrs. Hume Pinsent keenly interested the members of the Council by an address dealing with the care of the mentally defective and the report of the Royal Commission thereon. She took two of the fundamental ideas of the new proposed Act. The first being unity of control and the second continuity of control. She held that as things were at present everything was done to discourage a working man from trying to obtain proper care and training for his child. If he did what it was his duty to do, he was made a pauper for so doing. Mrs. Pinsent showed the need of power to enforce residence in a boarding school where necessary, and of detaining cases after school when they were unfit for liberty. By means of charts she set forth in a striking manner the history of feeble-minded families and the generations of paupers and criminals produced. These illustrations demonstrated what degradation and suffering would have been saved by continuous treatment. Mrs. Pinsent asked her hearers to think of the urgency of dealing with the inefficient, or each year it would mean a fresh batch of boys and girls ruined and a fresh number of mentally defective, criminal and “workshy”. Mr. Fred Hughes said it was impossible to overestimate the value of Mrs. Pinsent’s work. The lines of dealing with the mentally defective proposed were largely preventive and would put them on the way towards the removal of a fearful evil in their midst. He commended the report of the Commission and hoped they would all do their best in pressing forward the need of reports. Mr. Eades said that if many of the workers would take the same interest in training their children as in training a canary or pigeon, or a whippet dog, much evil would be avoided. In replying to a vote of thanks, Mrs. Pinsent referred to several points raised in a discussion which followed her address. The first was that of “official interference,” and she said she did realize that it was a great difficulty in the minds of many parents. It seemed to her that the best way of getting over it was that of the Education Committee. A great many parents had objected to the official interference of the visiting officers and the interference altogether of those who had to administer the Education Act. The difficulty had, however, been got over to a great extent by voluntary work done by the Education Committee, and she thought that in the future if they had institutions for the care and control of the feeble-minded, they must all have very strong voluntary committees working in connection with them. In this way the feeling parents would have that there were ladies and gentlemen to whom they could apply for sympathy and help in their cases would do away with the unfortunate feeling of official interference. The question had also been raised of over-working imbeciles in some institutions. The feeble-minded, the imbeciles and all grades of the mentally defective were much better when regularly employed, but there again they wanted strong voluntary committees to overlook that king of work and see that no inmate was doing more work than he or she was fit for. She hoped these institutions would be under public control and not privately managed: (hear, hear). At the next meeting of the Trades Council the chairman said he should move a resolution urging the need of immediate legislation on the lines recommended in the report of the Royal Commission.

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Wednesday 3rd November 1909

Birmingham City Council: Proposed Constitution of Committees: … … Education Committee: Aldermen the Right Hon. William Kenrick; Sir G. H. Kenrick, Martineau, Sayer and Tonks; Councillors Chamberlain, Crompton, Herrick, Jephcott, Jones, Lord, Lovsey, Middlteon, Murray, Newey, Pentland, Pooker, and Wilkinson; Messrs. G. T. Bethune-Baker, A. H. Coley, Howard Lloyd, Jun., Joseph Sturge; Miss Dale, Mrs. Hume Pinsent, Miss Mabel Burrows, and the following “recommended members” … …

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GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Saturday 25th September 1909

Important Scheme: Cookery, Laundry, and Manual Instruction: The Birmingham Education Committee, at a meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of the Lord Mayor (Sir George Kenrick), adopted an important scheme for providing additional accommodation for cookery and laundry instruction for girls and manual training for boys. … … (long detailed description of the scheme) … … The adoption of the recommendations having been seconded, Mrs. Pinsent heartily supported the proposals, but said she was glad to hear Mr. Titterton say that it was “only the beginning” of a scheme for providing a better curriculum for dull and backward children …

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Monday 23rd August 1909

English Tourists Spend a Night in a Snowstorm: Zermatt: Sunday: … … Another party composed of an English tourist, his wife and two guides from Evolene was also obliged to spend the night on the Matterhorn, having lost its way on the mountain. The shouts of the party could be heard at the Matterhorn hut, but as there were only a few tourists there, who were without guides, and did not know the mountain, they were unable to go to the help of the English people. A relief column under M. Herman Seiler left the Matterhorn hut at 6.30 this morning. Snow was falling heavily at the time, being already nearly eighteen inches deep. The night was very cold, and a storm had been raging. The members of the column, who are in imminent danger of their lives, are doing all they can to save the tourists. — Reuter: 9 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Pinsent, of London, and their two guides, have been saved and are now at the Matterhorn hut. — Reuter:

Referenced

GRO0318 Devonport: Frances Maude Pinsent: 1882 – 1953
GRO0365 Devonport: Gerald Hume Saverie Pinsent: 1888 – 1976

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Saturday 26th June 1909

Problem of Mentally Defective Children: Important Report: Mrs. Hume Pinsent on Need of New Legislation: The Lord Mayor (Ald. G. H. Kenrick) presided at a meeting of the Birmingham Education Committee held at the Parish Offices, Edmund Street yesterday afternoon. … … The Special Schools After-care Sub-Committee submitted their annual report. This sub-committee was formed in May 1901, with the object of keeping a record of the subsequent history of children who left the special classes for defectives and assisting them, as far as possible to find work … detailed review of findings and report … … … The Lord Mayor said he did not think they could do more at present than press upon the Government the necessity for taking action … … He pointed out that they had evidence showing that there had been a great deal of good work done. He took a larger view of the matter, for it seemed to him that, in order to obtain what Mrs. Pinsent had in view, and what they all had in view, was the better ultimate treatment of the whole class … … In reply, Mrs. Pinsent said that the sum asked for in the report of the Royal Commission to deal adequately with all the mentally defective was something like £500,000 a year. No doubt that would be an increase, but the mentally defective would be dealt with on sensible lines whereas now they were spending vast sums of money and doing practically no good. The report was adopted.

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Wednesday 24th March 1909

Mrs. Hume Pinsent and Claims of Married Women: The Women’s Local Government Society held a public meeting in Caxton Hall, Westminster, yesterday, in support of Dr. Shipman’s Local Government Qualification Bill, whereby a residential qualification for a candidate for county and town councils will suffice as it now does for all other Local government bodies. … … Mrs. Allan Bright (Liverpool) moved a resolution urging the Government to adopt Dr. Shipman’s Bill and asking it to consider the serious loss to the public service caused by allowing the electoral disabilities of married women to preclude them from serving on town and county councils, and by the fact that lack of a vote excluded many highly qualified single women who were living with their parents or other relatives. Mrs. Hume Pinsent (Birmingham Education Committee) seconded, remarking that women had done valuable work in Birmingham on the School Board and as Guardians and the Lord Mayor and some of the aldermen and councillors had expressed regret that the recent legislation did not enable married women to secure seats on county and borough councils. There ought to be only one qualification for public-service, capacity to serve. The speaker declared that the conditions of insane women and children would be greatly ameliorated if there were one capable woman on every asylum committee of the country. (applause). She believed that the presence of women on councils would lead to the careful attention to details which was so necessary to secure good and economical management. (applause). Miss Mable Atkinson supported, and the resolution was carried. It was decided to send copies to Mr. Asquith and Mr. Burns.

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949

Birmingham Daily Gazette: Friday 19th March 1909

Work of Laundry Homes: Mrs. Hume Pinsent and Care of the Feeble-Minded: The annual meeting of the Birmingham Laundry and Industrial Homes was held yesterday afternoon at the Council House, Canon Denton Thompson presiding … … The Homes met the needs of the danger to which the girls of feeble minded were frequently exposed, and they rescued girls from all kinds of evil, moral and social. The Homes must also be of inestimable benefit and relief to poor parents struggling with large families (applause). Mrs. Hume Pinsent in seconding the motion said they were not within reasonable distance of receiving state assistance in dealing with congenital deficiencies. …

Referenced

GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949