industrial biography-第86章

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only　of　three　old　men　and　three　boys；　with　the　skipper　and　mate；　so

that　the　vessel　was　no　sooner　fairly　at　sea　than　both　the　passenger

youths　had　to　lend　a　hand　in　working　her；　and　this　continued　for　the

greater　part　of　the　voyage。　　The　weather　was　very　rough；　and　in

consequence　of　the　captain's　anxiety　to　avoid　privateers　he　hugged

the　shore　too　close；　and　when　navigating　the　inside　passage　of　the

Swin；　between　Yarmouth　and　the　Nore；　the　vessel　very　narrowly　escaped

shipwreck。　　After　beating　about　along　shore；　the　captain　half　drunk

the　greater　part　of　the　time；　the　vessel　at　last　reached　the　Thames

with　loss　of　spars　and　an　anchor；　after　a　tedious　voyage　of　fourteen

days。



On　arriving　off　Blackwall　the　captain　went　ashore　ostensibly　in

search　of　the　Coal　Exchange；　taking　our　young　engineer　with　him。　　The

former　was　still　under　the　influence　of　drink；　and　though　he　failed

to　reach　the　Exchange　that　night；　he　succeeded　in　reaching　a　public

house　in　Wapping；　beyond　which　he　could　not　be　got。　　At　ten　o'clock

the　two　started　on　their　return　to　the　ship；　but　the　captain　took　the

opportunity　of　the　darkness　to　separate　from　his　companion；　and　did

not　reach　the　ship　until　next　morning。　　It　afterwards　came　out　that　he

had　been　taken　up　and　lodged　in　the　watch…house。　　The　youth；　left

alone　in　the　streets　of　the　strange　city；　felt　himself　in　an　awkward

dilemma。　　He　asked　the　next　watchman　he　met　to　recommend　him　to　a

lodging；　on　which　the　man　took　him　to　a　house　in　New　Gravel　Lane；

where　he　succeeded　in　finding　accommodation。　　What　was　his　horror　next

morning　to　learn　that　a　whole　familythe　Williamsonshad　been

murdered　in　the　very　next　house　during　the　night！　　Making　the　best　of

his　way　back　to　the　ship；　he　found　that　his　comrade；　who　had　suffered

dreadfully　from　sea…sickness　during　the　voyage；　had　nearly　recovered；

and　was　able　to　accompany　him　into　the　City　in　search　of　work。　　They

had　between　them　a　sum　of　only　about　eight　pounds；　so　that　it　was

necessary　for　them　to　take　immediate　steps　to　obtain　employment。



They　thought　themselves　fortunate　in　getting　the　promise　of　a　job

from　Mr。　Rennie；　the　celebrated　engineer；　whose　works　were　situated

at　the　south　end　of　Blackfriars　Bridge。　　Mr。　Rennie　sent　the　two　young

men　to　his　foreman；　with　the　request　that　he　should　set　them　to　work。

The　foreman　referred　them　to　the　secretary　of　the　Millwrights'

Society；　the　shop　being　filled　with　Union　men；　who　set　their

shoulders　together　to　exclude　those　of　their　own　grade；　however

skilled；　who　could　not　produce　evidence　that　they　had　complied　with

the　rules　of　the　trade。　　Describing　his　first　experience　of　London

Unionists；　nearly　half　a　century　later；　before　an　assembly　of　working

men　at　Derby；　Mr。　Fairbairn　said；　〃When　I　first　entered　London；　a

young　man　from　the　country　had　no　chance　whatever　of　success；　in

consequence　of　the　trade　guilds　and　unions。　　I　had　no　difficulty　in

finding　employment；　but　before　I　could　begin　work　I　had　to　run　the

gauntlet　of　the　trade　societies；　and　after　dancing　attendance　for

nearly　six　weeks；　with　very　little　money　in　my　pocket；　and　having　to

'box　Harry'　all　the　time；　I　was　ultimately　declared　illegitimate；　and

sent　adrift　to　seek　my　fortune　elsewhere。　　There　were　then　three

millwright　societies　in　London：　　one　called　the　Old　Society；　another

the　New　Society；　and　a　third　the　Independent　Society。　　These　societies

were　not　founded　for　the　protection　of　the　trade；　but　for　the

maintenance　of　high　wages；　and　for　the　exclusion　of　all　those　who

could　not　assert　their　claims　to　work　in　London　and　other　corporate

towns。　　Laws　of　a　most　arbitrary　character　were　enforced；　and　they

were　governed　by　cliques　of　self…appointed　officers；　who　never　failed

to　take　care　of　their　own　interests。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

Useful　Information　for　Engineers；　2nd　series；　1860；　p。　211。

　。。。＇



Their　first　application　for　leave　to　work　in　London　having　thus

disastrously　ended；　the　two　youths　determined　to　try　their　fortune　in

the　country；　and　with　aching　hearts　they　started　next　morning　before

daylight。　　Their　hopes　had　been　suddenly　crushed；　their　slender　funds

were　nearly　exhausted；　and　they　scarce　knew　where　to　turn。　　But　they

set　their　faces　bravely　northward；　and　pushed　along　the　high　road；

through　slush　and　snow；　as　far　as　Hertford；　which　they　reached　after

nearly　eight　hours'　walking；　on　the　moderate　fare　during　their

journey　of　a　penny　roll　and　a　pint　of　ale　each。　　Though　wet　to　the

skin；　they　immediately　sought　out　a　master　millwright；　and　applied

for　work。　　He　said　he　had　no　job　vacant　at　present；　but；　seeing　their

sorry　plight；　he　had　compassion　upon　them；　and　said；　〃Though　I　cannot

give　you　employment；　you　seem　to　be　two　nice　lads；〃　and　he　concluded

by　offering　Fairbairn　a　half…crown。　　But　his　proud　spirit　revolted　at

taking　money　which　he　had　not　earned；　and　he　declined　the　proffered

gift　with　thanks；　saying　he　was　sorry　they　could　not　have　work。　　He

then　turned　away　from　the　door；　on　which　his　companion；　mortified　by

his　refusal　to　accept　the　half…crown　at　a　time　when　they　were　reduced

almost　to　their　last　penny；　broke　out　in　bitter　remonstrances　and

regrets。　　Weary；　wet；　and　disheartened；　the　two　turned　into　Hertford

churchyard；　and　rested　for　a　while　upon　a　tombstone；　Fairbairn's

companion　relieving　himself　by　a　good　cry；　and　occasional　angry

outbursts　of　〃Why　didn't　you　take　the　half…crown？〃　　〃Come；　come；　man！〃

said　Fairbairn；　〃it's　of　no　use　crying；　cheer　up；　let's　try　another

road；　something　must　soon　cast　up。〃　　They　rose；　and　set　out　again；　but

when　they　reached　the　bridge；　the　dispirited　youth　again　broke　down；

and；　leaning　his　back　against　the　parapet；　said；　〃I　winna　gang　a　bit

further；　let's　get　back　to　London。〃　　Against　this　Fairbairn

remonstrated；　saying　〃It's　of　no　use　lamenting；　we　must　try　what　we

can　do　here；　if　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　we　can　'list；　you　are　a

strong　chapthey'll　soon　take　you；　and　as　for　me；　I'll　join　too；　I

think　I　could　fight　a　bit。〃　　After　this　council　of　war；　the　pair

determined　to　find　lodgings　in　the　town　for　the　night；　and　begin

their　search　for　work　anew　on　the　morrow。



Next　day；　when　passing　along　one　of　the　back　streets　of　Hertford；

they　came　to　a　wheelwright's　shop；　where　they　made　the　usual

enquiries。　　The　wheelwright；　said　that　he　did　not　think　there　was　any

job　to　be　had　in　the　town；　but　if　the　two　young　men　pushed　on　to

Cheshunt；　he　thought　they　might　find　work　at　a　windmill　which　was

under　contract　to　be　finished　in　three　weeks；　and　where　the

millwright　wanted　hands。　　Here　was　a　glimpse　of　hope　at　last；　and　the

strength　and　spirits　of　both　revived　in　an　instant。　　They　set　out

immediately；　walked　the　seven　miles　to　Cheshunt；　succeeded　in

obtaining　the　expected　employment；　worked　at　the　job　a　fortnight；　and

entered　London　again　with　nearly　three　pounds　in　their　pockets。



Our　young　millwright　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　regular

employment　in　the　metropolis　at　good　wages。　　He　worked　first　at

Grundy's　Patent　Ropery　at　Shadwell；　and　afterwards　at　Mr。　Penn's　of

Greenwich；　gaining　much　valuable　insight；　and　sedulously　improving

his　mind　by　study　in　his　leisure　hours。　　Among　the　acquaintances　he

then　made　was　an　enthusiastic　projector　of　the　name　of　Hall；　who　had

taken　out　one　patent　for　making　hemp　from　bean…stalks；　and

contemplated　taking　out　another　for　effecting　spade　tillage　by　steam。

The　young　engineer　was　invited　to　make　the　requisite　model；　which　he

did；　and　it　cost　him　both　time　and　money；　which　the　out…at…elbows

projector　was　unable　to　repay；　and　all　that　came　of　the　project　was

the　exhibition　of　the　model　at　the　Society　of　Arts　and　before　the

Board　of　Agriculture；　in　whose　collection　it　is　probably　still　to　be

found。　　Another　more　successful　machine　constructed　By　Mr。　Fairbairn

about　the　same　time　was　a　sausage…chopping　machine；　which　he

contrived　and　made　for　a　pork…butcher　for　33l。　　It　was　the　first　order

he　had　ev