The Ricardo Album

Perambulation of the borough

PERAMBULATION OF THE BOROUGH. — On Tuesday morning last, a special meeting of the Town Council was held, presided over by the Mayor, at nine o’clock in the morning, for the purpose of reading the minutes of the last perambulation in the year 1857. This having been done, a procession was formed as follows: — Two Borough policemen, eight Free Boys and others (carrying wands), from the National School, Supt. McGraw carrying the mace, the Mayor, H.H. Durrant, Esq., and Town Clerk, and Town Council, and about twenty men. The procession first marched to the Orkney Arms Hotel; here the boundary line passes through the wall and takes in part of a room, and out of the window; a hole was not made in the wall, as was done on former occasions, but the wall was struck with the mace by the Mayor on each side. Here James Kimbles and one or two others were bumped. They then proceeded down the river bank to a place called the point, took boat, and proceeded mid stream to point a little below Gascoyns bridge, up a ditch leading to the bridge. Here Supt. McGraw and others were bumped, and the ex-mayor nailed by his coat tail to the bridge rail. Then proceeded up the centre of the ditch to Hogs Bridge, where the Town Clerk, Messrs. Blowfield, Bond, Jackson, &c., were bumped. This was the first halting place, where, by the liberality of Councillor W. Nicholson, a plentiful supply of bread and cheese, and beer, was provided for all present. (Three cheers for Mr. Nicholson.) Next point was a bridge at the bottom of Braywick Village, where Mr. Nicholson and Brown were bumped together. Next, to the entrance gates of J. Hibbert, Esq. Here the Mayor, your Reporter, and several others came in for their share of bumps. Next, to the road leaving Shoppenhangers Farm to the right, to the angle of the road leading to Cox Green, thence to the Foresters’, Cox Green, thence to Boyn Hill, taking in a piece of garden and cottages belonging to Mr. Holder, crossing the line, through Mr. Bullock’s field, — (this gentleman happened to be in the field, and though he showed considerable resistance, was ultimately bumped up against one of the trees), through the garden of Mr. Aggar, crossing the road through the gardens at the back of Mrs. Mitchell’s and the Plough, into the road again; through Boyn Hill, across the Reading road, up the lane by Boyn Cottage to the Union. This was the next halting place, where a plentiful supply, having been forwarded by the Town Clerk, was tastefully laid out by the governor of the house, Mr. Malyon. After lunch, three cheers were given for the Mayor, and Mr. and Mrs. Malyon, for their kindness, and by way of reminder, very coolly bumped Mr. Malyon, also Mr. Smith, one of the guardians. They next proceeded through a pouring rain which continued the rest of the day, down the road on the west of the Union, to a field in the occupation of Mr. Mills, which was crossed, coming out opposite the Hariod-lane, proceeding down the road, they next passed over the high wall of Mr. Towers’, and right over the roof of that gentleman’s coach-house into the next field, passing under Mr. Towers’ boundary fence, through a wicket gate into the road leading to North Town Moor, across the Moor and fields down into Lord Gardner’s and Mr. Ricardo’s garden into the Cookham-road, crossing which they came to the Ray Lock; (one of the party named Winn, jumped in and swam across) — across Mr. Fuller’s yard, through the front door, drawing-room, and out of the window into the garden, over the garden fence into the river, where a boat was waiting to receive them. Here they were supplied very liberally with some of Messrs. Fuller’s celebrated ale. Next proceeded mid-way down the stream, and landed to the west of the Officers’ Club Room: (here some amusement was created by a lad named Nichols getting into the Thames); into the road leading to the Gas Works, and down this road to the point of starting, the Orkney Arms, where the Mayor and Corporation dined together privately. The time occupied by this perambulation was from nine in the morning until ten in the evening. All the principal points in the route were marked by Mr. W. Blowfield, of West-street, with nails marked M.C. (Maidenhead Corporation.)