DINNER AT PETERSFIELD TO MESSRS. HECTOR & LACY LATE RESPECTED BANKERS OF THAT TOWN.
A Grand Dinner was yesterday given at the Dolphin Hotel, Petersfield, by the friends and supporters of Messrs. Hector and Lacy, to mark their sense of the honourable and very satisfactory manner in which the affair of their late bank had been wound up. About 150 gentlemen of the town and district, &c.,— all of great respectability, and of every shade in politics_were present; and it is utterly impossible that a more striking proof of the esteem and respect in which Messrs. Hector and Lacy are universally held, for their honor and integrity, could have been afforded than the testimonial thereof given by this assemblage. But one feeling pervaded the Company—admiration of the characters of these gentlemen, and the strongest interest in their future welfare; such a manifestation cannot have proved otherwise than most gratifying to them. The pleasure of the evening was much alloyed by the absence of Mr. Hector, who, we are very sorry to state, was prevented by illness from attending. Mr. Lacy, however, was present, and on his entering the room was received with prolonged and enthusiastic cheers. The table was supplied with an abundance of game, the present of Sir Harry Featherstone.
The Chair was most admirably filled by Fielder King, Esq., of Buriton; on his right were George Henry, Esq. (of Chichester), the much respected son-in-law of Mr. Hector, ____ Hale, Esq., of Hambledon, &c.; and on his left Mr. Lacy, W. Hawes, Esq. (a Director of the London and County Joint Stock Bank Company), ___ Austen, Esq. (the Manager of the same Company at Brighton), C. Greetham, Esq., Mr. Kemp, of Chichester &c.—Mr. Bowstead as Vice-Chairman. The room was tastefully ornamented laurel, and a band occupied the orchestra.
On the removaI of the cloth, the Chairman gave—"Her Majesty the Queen," which was drank with three times three, and loud cheers. This was followed by "Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales and the rest of the Royal Family," and "The Army and Navy," each of which was drank with the same honours. The Chairman said the next toast he had to propose would be received with the greatest warmth of feeling —and drank in more than a bumper—"The Health of Mr. Hector."—(Great and prolonged cheers.)—The Company sorrowed at the cause of Mr. Hector's absence on this occasion; all grieved to learn such was the state of his health, that if he had been brought here it would have been his death-blow. He would read a letter received from him as follows:—
STODHAM, Jan. 6, 1842
My dear Sir,—Understanding that you have very kindly consented to take the chair of the dinner to be given to myself and Mr. Lacy to-morrow, by the friends and supporters of the late Bank, I beg to express to you my very great and disappointment at being unable to attend at such dinner; my medical man being of opinion that it would be highly dangerous for me so to do. I will, therefore, thank you to say, on my part, how highly I appreciate the very kind intentions and views of our friends, from whom this mark of respect and attachment has emanated, and assure them, that although I have upon many previous occasions during my life felt the support of my friends, yet on (to myself) this eventful crisis such a voluntary, handsome, and unexpected demonstration by them is to me most highly gratifying,—more particularly so, being, as it is, totally unconnected with and divested of any political feeling, and for which I beg you to present my most sincere and grateful thanks; assuring them that such conduct on their part will ever be retained in the memory not only of myself, but of my children. The very prompt and decisive support which has been given to the London and County Joint Stock Bank has been, to me, a source of great gratification, and I am glad to find my friend, Mr Hawes, one of the Directors, has been invited and will attend the dinner; and, I trust, will improve the acquaintance he has already made with you.—Wishing you and the Company every conviviality and many happy returns of the season, believe to be, my dear Sir, your's very truly,
C. J. HECTOR.
Fielder King, Esq.
The Chairman said he would also read letters he had received from some of Mr hectors sincere and staunch friends who were unavoidably absent on this occasion. The first he would read was from Mr Steele, which concluded as follows:—"I shall at all times and in all places bear a willing testimony to the meritorious exertions displayed by your respected guest in bringing to a successful termination negotiations opened with the London and County Joint Stock Company, so plainly advantageous to every body concerned, and so useful to our community, Nor do I forget the painful days—the anxious nights—inseparable from the situation in which he was placed, pending those negotiations; and which required no small degree of moral courage to contend against; but having happily surmounted those difficulties, my sincere wish is, that the remainder of his days, spent in the bosom of his family, maybe attended with all the happiness we can reasonably expect amidst the changes and chances of this mortal life." The chairman then read letters, written in a similar strain, from Mr John Bonham Carter, Mr Marta know, Mr Roberts, and Mr Charles Osborne; that of Mr Osborne concluding as follows:—" I should have rejoiced at the opportunity of publicly expressing my opinion of the very honorable and liberal mode in which Messrs. Hector and Lacy conducted business, and my sense of the repeated acts of kindness and accommodation rendered to me since my account with Mr Hector, a period of nearly 30 years." The Chairman then gave "the health of Mr Hector"—three time three—followed by loud cheers.
Tune—"Auld Lang Syne," with renewed cheering.
G. Henty, Esq. Then rose and was most warmly received. He said, as unforeseen events had prevented Mr Hector from attending to express personally his thanks for the kind manner in which his health had been proposed and drank, he begged to do so in his name. As a member of the family he (Mr Henty) could assure the Company that Mr Hector not only deeply felt the kindness, but that his family were most grateful for it. In rising to return the tanks in Mr Hector's behalf, he had undertaken a task he was not adequate to perform—(loud cheers)—his feelings overpowered him. It was only in the hour of trouble such kindness as they had shewn, could be appreciated—and in every way Mr Hector had received kindness at their hands. He assured the company he felt so unnerved he was not competent to express his sentiments;—(cheers)—but in Mr Hector's name he begged to return them thanks for the honor they done him in drinking his health.
Mr. Chairman then said he would now propose the health of a gentleman whom they all loved and respected—one long known to them, and whom they all appreciated—"The Health of their excellent friend, Mr Lacy." The toast having been drank with three time three, followed by cheers.
Mr. Lacy rose and said, he felt the utmost difficulty in attempting to express his gratitude for the kindness he had experienced from them—a kindness, however, he could not consider shewn in consideration of his individual merits, but of those of his partner, who had been amongst them for so many years longer than he had.—in the hold his partner had upon their affections, he (Mr Lacy), followed him at a humble distance—(loud cheers)—Since the hours of difficulty he had sustained an affliction, which would have made his absence on this occasion a natural result, but when he found that his friend was unhappily taken ill from the late event, he (Mr. Lacy) thought it due to him and the company that he should overcome his private feelings, and to be present to express his gratitude for the kindness they had shewn of them.—(Loud cheers.)
The Chairman then proposed "the health of Mr Hawes, with success to the London and County Joint Bank Company,"—Three time three.
Mr. Hawes said, the company having held out the hand of friendship to them, from that hour the Joint Stock company would have at their hearts the prosperity of the district.—(Cheers.)—The company present were principally engaged in agriculture; he was engaged in trade; and if ever there was a moment when agriculture and trade should go hand in hand, that moment was the present.—(Cheers.)—The great claim the Joint Stock Company would have on their support would be a desire to afford to them the same facilities to which they had been accustomed; and if they did this with honour and honesty, they would ask for them that countenance which they had given to Mr. Hector—(Cheers.)—He big to propose "the health of the Chairman."—Three time three.
Tune—"Old English Gentleman."
Mr. Bowstead said it would be his duty to inform Sir Harry Featherstone of the kindness, which he was sure would gratified him; but it would afford him more pleasure to know that such a numerous and highly respectable party had a partaken of his game tonight—(Cheers.)—Sir Harry Featherstone never had but one opinion of Messrs. Hector and Lacy—he had always the most perfect confidence in their honour, honesty, and integrity; though he thought their late difficulty might have caused some inconvenience, he knew that everyone would be paid every farthing. Mini vague and false reports had been circulated at that time; and no one could have felt more happy than did Sir Harry, when he found that Messrs. Hector and Lacy had liberated themselves from the fangs of their oppressors—and overcome them.—(Continued cheering.)
Mr. George Henty proposed "the health of the Vice-Chairman."
The Chairman gave "Prosperity to Agriculture."
Mr. H. Padwick, (of Five Heads, near Horndean), responded to this toast, and said he felt it as much his duty to be present here today to do honour to Messrs. Hector and Lacy, as it was to set out his daily work for the support of his family—(Cheers)—It was a duty incumbent upon him to take this occasion to express his grateful feelings to those gentleman for the kindness they had shown him. He had attended this market for 25 years, and was proud to bear testimony to the assistance readily afforded at all times by Messrs. Hector and Lacy, to the advantage of the buyer, as well as seller.—(Cheers.)
The Chairman next gave "Success to Trade."
Mr. Sparkes, of Cosham, responded to this toast, and expressed the pleasure he derived at being afforded the present opportunity of acknowledging with gratitude the kindness he had experienced from Messrs. Hector and Lacy. The kindness, indeed which they had shewn to all, entitled them to our respect and esteem. He had for 15 years transacted business with them, and he could say throughout the whole of that period, he never knew what it was to lose one wink of sleep, under a fear of not being enabled to meet a bill, for if at any time, he thought he should not be prepared for it, Messrs. Hector and Lacy would provide for it, and they had sone so—(Cheers.)—He was happy to be here on this occasion to express his gratitude to them.
Mr. Hawes said, although hitherto, he had been a stranger in this town, he would assure the company that he now felt considerable interest in his prosperity and welfare. It would be the study of the new establishment to afford the same assistance which had been rendered by Messrs. Hector and Lacy, and which had called forth the sentiments expressed by Mr Sparks.—He (Mr. Hawes) could not give them a better guarantee of their intention to act upon this principle, than by giving the superintendence of this bank to Mr Lacy, in whose judgement, skill, and discretion they reposed entire confidence, and which could only be exercised judiciously in the confidence he had in those whom he (Mr Hawes) was now addressing. He would propose to them, therefore, with as much sincerity as possible—"Prosperity to the town of Petersfield."
C. Greetham, Esq., as one of the oldest inhabitants of Petersfield, in acknowledging this toast, said he had a banked with Messrs. Hector and Lacy, for 24 years, and if during that time he wanted any assistance, he always had it from them with goodwill. He could name hundreds upon hundreds of occasions, where where liberality has been shown, and many instances in which they had saved a man and his family from ruin. He would mention one:—a respectable man had died, owing them a considerable sum of money; the widow saw Mr. Hector, and expressed her distress at it; Mr. Hector said to her "never mind—you'll pay me by and by."—Shortly after her son applied for a farm; the proprietor of it, mentioned the application to Mr. Hector, and told him, he could not let him (the son) have it—"Why not?" said Mr. Hector—"Because, replied the proprietor, he cannot stock it." Mr. Hector rejoined "then I will for him."—(Cheers)—The son took a lease of the farm, and Mr. Hector was as good as his word; he (Mr. Greetham), would not name him, but he was now present, and would no doubt be proud to acknowledge what had been represented—(Loud cheers).—Mr. Greetham, concluded by eulogising the conduct of Mr. George Young, the clerk to Messrs. Hector and Lacy, who had been in their service 18 years; He was a young man of integrity and ability, and was always obliging in the extreme; He would therefore propose "the health of Mr. George Young".—Three time three.
Mr. Young returned thanks.
The Chairman next gave "Prosperity to the Trade of Portsmouth."
Mr. Burne (of Portsmouth) acknowledged the toast, and said he was delighted to have this opportunity of publicly avowing his extreme gratitude for the many kindnesses he had received from the hands of Messrs. Hector and Lacy. He had had the pleasure of doing business with them for 12 years and during that time he experienced from them extreme liberality & good advice, and he believed not one look of displeasure.—(Cheers.)—They took to him, he may say, a stranger from the eastern part of Sussex, and they had ever since proved kind and dear friends. Finding there was a favourable prospect of doing good abroad, and it being the duty of every parent to do his utmost to benefit his family, he went to Messrs. Hector and Lacy, his bankers, and stated his views; they replied most cheerfully, "by all means, Burne, you shall have what you want," and the next post brought him a letter from Mr. Hector that would have enabled him to supply his wants tenfold.—(Cheers.) Did not this kind of act corroborate what others had this tree stated? He had not language to express what he felt towards such kind of friends as they had proved to him. The late esteemed firm was now taken up by the London and County Bank, and he heartily wish them every success. Had Messrs. Hector and Lacy resumed business his name would have remained on their books; that not being the case he considered he was at liberty, not for one moment doubting the honor and respectability of the Company, but living out of Portsmouth (and everyone would admit it more convenient to bank in the town where they reside) to remove his account to Messrs. Grant's and Gilman. He concluded by wishing Messrs. Hector and Lacy every happiness this world could afford them and their families.—(Applause.)
Many other toasts succeeded.—the utmost conviviality and cordial feeling reigned throughout the evening, and the party did not separate until a late hour.