Introduction
We’ve recently been planning a refresh of our Richard Cadbury display. As part of this a deep down study of his life and times in Worcester has been undertaken by our research team. We were not surprised to find details of his many benevolences nor were we surprised to uncover details of charitable deeds and donations previously unknown to us. What did surprise us was finding out about the time Richard Cadbury became a local villain. And we were shocked (maybe even stunned) to learn of ultimately what this bad feeling led to.
Richard Cadbury and Tudor House
In 1908 number 42 Friar Street was owned by Richard Cadbury. From at least 1911 he used it as a bakery, shop and coffee house. The coffee house provided inexpensive and nourishing food and drink for the poor of the city. Here his Tudor Coffee House sold a cup of coffee and a bun for 1d and encouraged the reading of the bible whilst they were consumed. He also held adult learning classes, once again using the bible as one of the source texts.
As a Quaker he did not approve of the consumption of alcohol. So when the adjacent Cross Keys Inn became available, he promptly snapped up number 40 and number 38. He closed the pub and amalgamated it into what is now Tudor House. From these acquisitions Tudor House Museum eventually came to be the collection of three houses that it is today. Without his care and sensitive input it is beyond doubt that the houses would not have survived as they have. Indeed it is highly likely that they would have not survived at all.
A Most Popular Man
When he died in 1935 Richard Cadbury’s life was aptly summed up at his funeral by the Reverend Francis George Gray in his eulogy where he spoke of:
[Richard’s] Unostentatious benevolence and his simple and loyal faith in Christianity and the Bible, from the latter he drew daily inspiration
There were as well obituaries in the same vein published across a number of local and national newspapers.
People silently lined the High Street to see Richard’s coffin process to Pump Street and then on to its final resting place at Astwood cemetery. Worcester High Street had to be closed to traffic as a result. This shows how much by then he was admired, respected and how highly regarded he was.
Not So Popular
So it comes with some surprise that we learnt recently of an event in 1906 that so enraged the conservative citizens of Worcester that they burnt an effigy of Richard Cadbury as part of the November 5th Bonfire Night “celebration”. Here’s why.
Plots and Treats
Popular as Richard was to become an event in 1906 turned him into something of a villain in the eyes of the city’s populace. Along with the Earl of Beauchamp he had petitioned parliament against the election of the incoming Conservative member of parliament for Worcester. This was on the grounds of corruption and bribery by the MPs election agents. George Williamson, the MP in question, was accused at the resulting tribunal of having won due to the “treating” of voters. Treating meant they had been bribed with a pint of beer or two! The term treating was actually used to describe this method of apparent electoral bribery.
As a result Williamson was removed from his position as a member of parliament. Note that Wiliamson himself was not found guilty of any misdemeanour, but was deemed to have had unfairly benefited. Worcester was not allowed to select a replacement. This left the city with no member of parliament until the next general election.
Furthermore, the city itself was found culpable and ordered to pay the tribunal costs. This was added to the city rates – effectively everybody had to pay. At the annual city bonfire in November five Guys were produced, one for each of those involved in bringing the scandal to light. Although the likenesses were poor – being more symbolic than representative – each was named. Richard Cadbury was one of the five whose effigy was burned in place of Guy Fawkes that November the 5th.
November 5th 1906
Several thousand people are said to have accompanied a banner and band across and around the city and into a field at the corner of New Road and Bromwich Lane. However, there appears to have been an entire absence of enthusiasm apart from the odd firework being lit to add coloured light to the proceedings.
There were no cheers or applause from those present as the flames consumed the sad effigies. Councillor Fairbairn (Liberal), another one of the five whose effigy went onto the fire, watched on in “high good humour”. He said it was the next greatest honour to being caricatured in Punch magazine. Neither he, nor any of the other Liberals present, showed any resentment. Reports tell that the crowd itself treated it as a huge joke and utmost good-humour prevailed. Although in attendance, the services of the police were not required.
⋇
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the account above. All “facts” have been rigorously checked and re-checked. However, essentially this is a narrative story and is not an academic paper.
No part of this discussion or its associated images should be re-used for whatever purpose without direct permission from the manager of Tudor House Museum and the author. Please contact manager@tudorhouse.org.uk for further details.
⋇
References
The image of Richard Cadbury used in this BLOG comes from his Bromwich Road Mission. Reproduced with kind permission of the Mission trustees.
The Election Petition report was published in 1906 by the Worcestershire Echo. The picture of the cover was taken by the author from a copy held in the Worcester Records Office in Richard Fairbairn’s Scrapbook (BA 5569, ref: 889.496).
The details about the events that occurred on November 5th 1906 described in this BLOG were taken from newspaper articles published at the time. In particular the following two publications were used:
- Worcestershire Echo, 7th November 1906
- Birmingham Mail, 6th November 1906