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:

  • 181.

    Indeed you have had no municipal contest there since 1875 at all ? – No; for five years we have had none.

  • 182.

    Was there a contest in 1875 ? – Yes, there was one in November 1875.

  • 183.

    Was that a single contest, one against one, do you happen to remember ? – No ; it was the annual election. There were four vacancies, and there were eight candidates, and it is very singular, but I see the four successful candidates were two Liberal and two Conservatives ; that is, taking them by repute, of course.

  • 184.

    And last November there was no contest at all ? – No contest at all.

  • 185.

    Someone else will tell us about Deal. You do not know ? – No.

  • 186.

    You were going to give us the voting areas of Sandwich, Deal, and Walmer ? – I will give you Sandwich, and try and get the others. No doubt Mr, Mercer the town clerk, will be able to give you that at once.

  • 187.

    As far as regards Sandwich, there was no necessity to employ conveyances for voters at all I suppose ? – Anybody not very infirm could get there. The polling booth was about the centre of the town. There were a few infirmities.

  • 188.

    But all the conveyances that could be got were taken ? – I really do not know ; but I believe that was the fact. The Liberal COMMITTEE ROOM was opposite the polling booth, and I saw two cabs standing there a good part of the day, doing nothing apparently.

  • 189.

    At the election before, were the conveyances employed more than they were at this election ? I mean the contested election in 1868. Were there more conveyances for voters then than this election ? – I think not.

  • 190.

    About the same ? – I did not see very much conveyance of voters at Sandwich. Some people are always glad to ride at election times. I saw them about the streets, but nothing to observe upon in that way. In these towns they have not many conveyances, and unless they go outside and hire them, they cannot get a great number.

  • 191.

    (Mr. Holl.) You say that after the Act passed, candidates were glad to get rid of the expense of FLAGS and colour ? – I only suppose so. They are very happy to make an excuse of that kind when asked for these things, and I can easily imagine they made that excuse.

  • 192.

    How do you account for its growing up again ? – There are always some people – zealous people – who will have their own ROSETTES, cockades, and so, and one little thing leads to another ; but whether of late years, before the last election, any were provided by the candidates, I really do not know. There was nothing to notice until this election with regard to colours. There were FLAGS flying. People put up their own FLAGS.