Franklin, William Henry | Day 5

Listed in the 1871 & 1881 Census as Draper and Photographer.

Lengthy testimony. Supplied goods and services amounting to around £40 to the Conservative party for dozens of Rosettes for horses and voters, plus ribbon for bonnets, cambric for flags and 500 photographs of Mr Crompton Roberts taken by his son. Typical prices were 18s a dozen for the larger horse rosettes using 4 yards of ribbon and 9s a dozen for the smaller ones using only 2 yards. Photographs were sold at 10s a dozen so a total of approximately £26. Claimed the expenditure on rosettes was greater in previous elections.

Witness Type: Other

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 4819.

    (Mr. Turner.) You are a hosier and glover in Deal ? — Yes.

  • 4820.

    Did you supply any goods at the last election ? —I did.

  • 4821.

    I have got five bills of yours here; one for 8L 15s. 10 1/2d., one for 3s. 6d., one for 10L. ls. 9d., one for 15L. 11s. 3d., and one for 5L. ? — They are all right.

  • 4822.

    And those bills are for articles supplied by you ? — Yes, to Mr. Usher.

  • 4823.

    Are all those bills entered in your books ? — Yes, they were all paid on the same evening, as they were sent in the morning.

  • 4824.

    When were they paid ? — The same evening.

  • 4825.

    But what evening ? — The evening of the dates of the bills.

  • 4826.

    Before the election ? — Yes.

  • 4827.

    You know the total of your own bills, I suppose ? — No, I don’t know.

  • 4828.

    I make it out just 40L. ? — I don’t know the total.

  • 4829.

    There is two dozen ROSETTES for horses ? — Yes.

  • 4830.

    Who ordered those ? — I expect Mr. Usher did.

  • 4831.

    At 18s. a dozen ? — Yes.

  • 4832.

    Is that the average price ? — Sometimes they are more than that, according to the size. I have sometimes made them as much as 2s. 6d. or 3s. a rosette. Of course so many yards of ribbon as you put in adds to the expense.

  • 4833.

    Then there is 10 dozen at 9s., 4L. 10s., were they for the horses ? — No.

  • 4834.

    For human beings then ? — They were for voters.

  • 4835.

    The larger ROSETTES were for the horses ? — Yes.

  • 4836.

    How much ribbon did you put in ? — I could not say unless I saw them; perhaps five or six yards, or perhaps not more than four yards.

  • 4837.

    And in the smaller ones ? — About two yards.

  • 4838.

    Two yards in those at 9s. a dozen ? — Yes.

  • 4839.

    Was not that an unusual quantity to put into ROSETTES ? — No, not to get any size ; sometimes they are larger than that.

  • 4840.

    (Mr. Holl.) Do you mean to say that there were two yards of ribbon in each rosette you made for the voters ? — Yes, I expect there was ; perhaps more.

  • 4841.

    (Mr. Turner.) Do you know anything about it ? — No, I don’t make them.

  • 4842.

    (Mr. Jeune.) They were good big ROSETTES, I suppose ? — Yes, a good size.

  • 4843.

    (Mr. Turner.) What is this, “6 ps. ribbon, 36 yards at 12s. 9d.” ? — That is six pieces, and 36 yards in each piece.

  • 4844.

    What were they used for ? — I don’t know, Mr. Usher had them. I expect, for decorating the POLES, or something of that kind.

  • 4845.

    You supplied them to Mr. Usher direct ? — Yes I don’t know what they were for.

  • 4846.

    “Ditto, 54 pieces of cambric at 8 1/2d a yard ” ? — Franklin, They were for FLAGS.

  • 4847.

    Did they go to Mr. Usher ? — Yes ; it all went to Mr. Usher.

  • 4848.

    For ROSETTES and everything ? —Yes.