Goldfinch, Edwin | Day 11

Paid money to be a colourman – to put up a flag (colour) at his shop and his house. A loyal Liberal (blue) supporter he said he would have changed his mind if he knew ‘such a humbug as Sir Julian was coming down here’ and had he known he would have thrown him in the sea with a plumper.

Note: During this election the election colours were Blue for the Liberals and Yellow for the Conservatives, the complete opposite of those we recognise today.

Witness Type: Bribee

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

  • 13916.

    (Mr. Holl.) Where do you live ? — Walmer. 

  • 13917.

    What are you ? — A carpenter. 

  • 13918.

    What did you receive ? —15s. 

  • 13919.

    Who from ? — Mr. Minter. 

  • 13920.

    What was that for ? —Colourman. 

  • 13921.

    What did you do — anything ? — Very little for that money. 

  • 13922.

    It was given to you as a bonus ? — It was given to me for putting up a colour at my shop, and so on. 

  • 13923.

    You were a voter ? — Yes. 

  • 13924.

    Did you receive anything else ? — No. 

  • 13925.

    Were you promised anything more ?  — No. 

  • 13926.

    Not by anyone ? — No. 

  • 13927.

    (Mr. Jeune.) What did Mr. Minter say to you when he offered you the 15s. ? — He told me he would give me 15s. if I would put up a colour at my shop, and so on.

  • 13928.

    What is the “so on” ? — I had one up at my house. 

  • 13929.

    By “colour” you mean a flag ? — Yes. 

  • 13930.

    Did he send you the flag ? — No, I had that off Mr. Rose. 

  • 13931.

    Mr. Rose brought you the flag ? — No, he did not. 

  • 13932.

    Who did ? — I fetched it. It was a piece of blue calico. 

  • 13933.

    At the end of a stick, was it ? — No. 

  • 13934.

    What did you do with it ? — Put it on a pole myself, and formed halyards, and I was badly paid. 

  • 13935.

    (Mr. Holl.) Did Mr. Minter say anything to you about a vote ? — No. 

  • 13936.

    Nothing at all ? — He knows I have always supported the Liberal cause, but if I had known it was going to be such a humbug as Sir Julian, I should not have supported him this time, you may rest assured. I would give him a plumper to throw him in the sea. 

  • 13937.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Which way is Mr. Minter ? — I do not know. 

  • 13938.

    Do you not know which side he is ? — No, I do not know which way he voted, or nothing else. 

  • 13939.

    But you saw him going about with a colour on ? — Oh yes, I saw him going about and lots more. 

  • 13940.

    Which colour did you have to put up ? — I had a blue colour to put up. 

  • 13941.

    Mr. Minter was a blue was he not ? — I do not know. 

  • 13942.

    Come ? — No, I cannot tell which way he voted. His was considered a blue house. 

  • 13943.

    You thought he was a blue ? — I should think he was. 

  • 13944.

    I should think so too. You voted blue too did you not ? — I reserve that to myself. 

  • 13945.

    You were well disposed towards the blues ? — I always have been, but as I told you before, I should have changed my mind if I had known such a humbug as Sir Julian Goldsmid was coming down here.