the many sterling qualities of his
character and his utility in the unpaid public service. He was a soldier,
a civil administrator, an ardent and exceedingly able politician--Tory,
of course, to the back-bone. He was a leading advocate for the "Ten Hours
Bill." The champions of that great movement were Fielding, Ferrand, and
Oastler. Mr Ferrand was instrumental in passing the Truck Act, which did
so much service to working men, in removing the deceptions and
impositions of indirect payment of wages. He was a great advocate of
allotments for working men, and set the first example to the wealthy and
willing to provide the people with ground for healthy open-air
recreation. As an agriculturist he was an enthusiast, and all who had
tenancy of land under him found all well so long as they observed
strictly the conditions of their tenancy, but woe to them and to all
concerned if they infringed in the slightest degree the iron rule of
discipline set down by Mr Ferrand. In every capacity of life, he was a
disciplinarian who could not brook any breach of rule. Poaching, and
every offence that interfered with the rights of the preserves on his
estate, called forth prosecution for the offence. My first recollection
of Mr Ferrand dates from the general election when this part of the
country was contested by Messrs Morpeth and Milton. I was about eight
years old at the time. The two politicians visited every part of the
district, and on one occasion the Tory party came through Hoylus End. I,
and my "mates" were wearing party favours; but they were all "yellow,"
while I was "blue." Mr Ferrand was with the electioneers, and he must
have noticed that I was the most conspicuous Tory youngster; for he drew
from his pocket a big handful of coppers and threw them down to me. From
that day, I can say, I have been a Tory. During the campaign the local
rhymesters and writers were very busy concocting electioneering "squibs;"
and, young as I was, I tried my 'prentice hand along with the rest. It
was with astonishment and amazement that my parents and my companions
received the following doggerel:--

Morpeth and Milton went a baking pies,
Milton gave to Morpeth two black eyes.

THE KEIGHLEY RIOT

About the year 1852--at the time of the Keighley Fair--there was some
poaching in Bingley Wood. A gamekeeper had come across the poachers, who
seized and tied him to a tree; suspicion fell upon some factory workers,
and they were taken b