Barrett, Henry (Harry) | Day 21

Paid £5 for a committee room by Samuel Olds, £3 for his vote by Mr Mackins and 30s for ‘bow money’ – handing out rosettes to customers. Listed as Harry Barrett in the 1880 Walmer Poll Book and also in the Census


Witness Type: Bribee, Publican, Beerhouse Keeper

Party: Conservative


Witness Testimony:

  • 20457.

    (Mr. Holl.) What are you ? — A licensed victualler.

  • 20458.

    Where do you live ? — Walmer Road, and I keep the “Lord Nelson.”

  • 20459.

    What did you receive for your vote ? — I do not know about my vote. I received the same as the rest.

  • 20460.

    £3 ? — Yes.

  • 20461.

    From whom ? — Mr. Makins.

  • 20462.

    Is that all you received ? — Well, I think there was something else; a little bow money, that is all.

  • 20463.

    How much was that ? — 30s.

  • 20464.

    Who paid that ? — Mr. Usher paid that, I think.

  • 20465.

    Are Mr. Makins and Mr. Usher both on the same side ? — Yes, I think so.

  • 20466.

    What do you mean by “bow money”; was that to get bows ? — Decorating.

  • 20467.

    It was paying you for putting up colours ? — No, to give out to customers, and that sort of thing.

  • 20468.

    Did you supply the rosettes? — Yes.

  • 20469.

    You gave colours to some of your customers, and they paid you 30s for doing it ? — Yes.

  • 20470.

    Is that all that you received ? — Yes, that is all.

  • 20471.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Mr. Usher gave you 30s to lay out in bows ? — No, we sent in the bill afterwards.

  • 20472.

    You sent in the bill to Mr. Usher ? — Yes, to Mr. Usher, I believe.

  • 20473.

    (Mr. Turner) What do you say you are ? — A licensed victualler.

  • 20474.

    It is not your duty to make bows ? — It does not matter what you do at election time.

  • 20475.

    Had you a room ? — Yes.

  • 20476.

    (Mr. Jeune.) How much did you really spend in bows ? — I cannot get at that so as to go into the items.

  • 20477.

    Not quite 30s was it ? — There would be a bit of a come-short, I suppose.

  • 20478.

    Did they take a room at your house ? — Yes.

  • 20479.

    You got paid for that as well ? — Yes.

  • 20480.

    You should have told us that. What did you get ? — £5. I do not know the gentleman who paid it, but Mr. Olds was concerned in it.

  • 20481.

    You got £5 for your room, and £3 for your vote ? — I do not know what it was for at all. That was a little Godsend.

  • 20482.

    And you got 30s for the rosettes ? — Yes.

  • 20483.

    Is that all that you received, and just think it over, because do not keep anything back. Tell me anything that you received on any account ? — Mine was such a curious affair, you see, that I can hardly think of it.

  • 20484.

    Just think about it quietly ? — There was a little noise about a pole. I made a little bother about it and got a sovereign for it. There was a pole erected outside my house.

  • 20485.

    And you asked to be paid for the use of the ground ? — There was a trifle allowed for each house where there was a pole erected.

  • 20486.

    A pole was put up outside your house, and they gave you a sovereign because the pole was outside your house ? — No, it was not that.