Surrage, Thomas Lyddon | Day 1

1881 Census lists him as ‘Solicitor, Town Clerk Of Sandwich, Clerk of the Peace for the Borough of Sandwich & its Liberties’.

Witness Type: Other

Witness Testimony:

  • 31.

    In 1868, what was the constituency ? – 1,906.

  • 32.

    In 1871, what was the population ? – 14,885.

  • 33.

    And in 1874, what was the constituency at the time of the election ? – 2,046.

  • 34.

    The number of electors in 1880 was 2,115 ? – Yes, just so.

  • 35.

    Tell me if this is a correct statement of the polling at the different elections from 1857 downwards – 1857, Hugessen, Liberal, 547 ; Lord Clarence Paget, Liberal, 503 ; J. McGregor, Conservative, 322, and J. Lang, 24 ? – Yes,

  • 36.

    In 1859, Hugessen, Liberal, 497 ; Lord Clarence Paget, Liberal, 458 ; Sir J. Ferguson, Conservative, 404, and W. D. Lewis, Conservative, 328 ? – Yes.

  • 37.

    In 1859 there was a bye-election ? – Yes.

  • 38.

    And at that election Mr. Hugessen, Liberal, 463 and Mr. Ferguson, Conservative, 283 ? – No, 180 it appears from my papers. This was a bye-election upon Mr. Hugessen coming down for re-election after taking office, and probably many who voted for Sir J. Ferguson before thought it unfair to oppose Mr. Hugessen under such circumstances ; this, I think, would account for the small number of votes recorded to Mr. Ferguson compared with the recent poll.

  • 39.

    In 1865, Hugessen, Liberal, 494 ; Lord Clarence Paget, Liberal, 477, and Mr. Capper, Conservative, 413 ? – Yes.

  • 40.

    In 1866 there was a bye-election, at which Mr. Capper, Conservative, polled 466, and Mr. Thomas Brassey 458 ? – Yes.

  • 41.

    In 1868, Hugessen, Liberal, 933 ; Henry Brassey, Liberal, 923, and Baron de Worms, Conservative, 710 ? – Yes.

  • 42.

    In 1874, Henry Brassey, Liberal, 1,035 ; Hugessen, Liberal, 1,006 ; H. Hallett, Conservative, 764, and H. S. Baillie, Conservative, 611 ? – Yes.

  • 43.

    In 1880, April, Mr. Henry Brassey, Liberal, and Mr. Hugessen, Liberal, were unopposed ? – Yes.

  • 44.

    Then the election in May last, Mr. Crompton Roberts polled 1,145, and Sir Julian Goldsmid 705 ? – Yes.

  • 45.

    Can you give me the returns of expenses for the election of 1868 ? – No, I have not got them; they were not returned, I believe. It was suggested to me yesterday that the law, perhaps, did not compel them to be returned at that time. I do not know how that is, but I have no returns for 1868.

  • 46.

    Can you give me the returns for the expenses of the election for 1874 ? – I have them at my office. I did not know that they would be wanted to-day. I brought the expenses of the general election and the election of May, but I can send the others to you, if necessary.

  • 47.

    Be so good as to make a note to let us have the returned expenses for the election of 1874. What were the returned expenses at the unopposed election in 1880 ? – There are two returns, one for Deal and Walmer, and one for Sandwich. The Deal and Walmer summary is 199L 17s. 2d.

  • 48.

    Can you give us the items of that ? – The abstract will be sufficient, I suppose. Printing and posting, 28l 10s. 8d.; hotel accounts (personal), 27L 10s; carriage hire, 9L. 14s. ; preparing canvass books, circulars, addresses, advertisements, and delivering and postages, 34L. 2s. 6d.; agency, lOOL.; making a total of 199L. 17s. 2d.; that is for Deal and Walmer. The vouchers are here also. Then the Sandwich abstract gives a total of 364L, 2s. 5d., and the items are Griffin and Shaw and Sons, printing, 11L. 3s. 9d,; Railway news, publishing addresses, 2L. 2s.; Woodruff, canvass books and services, Sandwich, 9L. 5s.; Ewell, polling streets, &c., 3L. 3s.; Rose, canvass books and services, Walmer, 11L. 0s, 6d,; Woodcock, polling streets, &c., 9L. 9s.; Nazer, bill posting, 2L.; Hunter and Pearson, COMMITTEE ROOMS, 6L. 15s. 5d,; Woodruff clerks, messengers, &c., 13L. 5s,; Filmer, “Bell” hotel, 34L. 12s. 1d,; Minter and Daniels, carriage hire, 4L. 16s. 6d.; Baker, stamps and petty disbursements, 6L. 11s. 2d.; returning officer’s expenses, 49L. 19s.; agency, Messrs. Emmerson and Co., Hugessen, 100L.; the like, Brassey, 100L.; making altogether, 364L. 3s. 5d.

  • 49.

    What are the principal trades or industries of Sandwich ? – Of course the usual retail trade of a country town with a large market. Besides that, there is a large timber yard, a tannery, a large corn stores, and two breweries. The principal and substantial trade is upon the river; there are considerable imports of timber, coals, and com in the course of a year. It supplies a large part of the district with coal.

  • 50.

    Have those imports been upon the increase or decrease of late years ? – I think they have been pretty stationary for some time. Sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less.

  • 51.

    Have you the vouchers for the expenditure ? – Yes (handing a bundle of papers); they were all sent in to the returning officer.

  • 52.

    Are there any manufactories at Sandwich ? – No, nothing that you can call a manufactory; there is an iron foundry and things of that kind upon a moderate scale.

  • 53.

    Is there a manufactory in the sense I mean ? – No, perhaps it could hardly be called that ; it makes things for the neighbourhood.

  • 54.

    Can you tell me what are the principal industries of Deal ? – No, I know nothing about that ; with regard to that I would prefer referring you to the town clerk of Deal I know nothing about it, except as a casual observer. Of course we all know that Deal is connected with the shipping in the Downs from all nations.

  • 55.

    You know nothing in detail at all ? – No. I know it is increasing from what one sees going on in buildings.

  • 56.

    Are there many manufactories in Deal ? – I really do not know.

  • 57.

    And I suppose you would give the same answer in regard to Walmer ? – Yes, all I know is that I have seen Walmer growing from a seaside village to a rapidly increasing watering place, and at the present moment it is likely to increase very much.

  • 58.

    What are the principal classes of voters at Sandwich ? – There are the old freemen, who have dwindled down very much to a low figure.

  • 59.

    I believe you say there are now 143 ? – Yes. In 1832 there were 1,000. The Reform Act knocked off so many, and put on so many householders in Deal and Walmer.

  • 60.

    How many of the freemen reside in Sandwich ? – All within seven miles ; there are a few at Ramsgate, a few at Walmer, and 13 at Deal.