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THE FLOWING BOWL
he became its chief director. He was untiring
in business, a man possessing the broadest views
of men and things, a bit crotchety on occasion,
but possessed of " that most excellent gift of
charity," in boundless supplies. Amongst his
other benefactions was the building and endow
ment of St. Paul's, Burton, and the gift of
recreation grounds, a free library, and swimming-
baths to the adjacent town of Derby. He also
built and endowed another church on his own
estate, at Rangemore j and his hand was never
out of his cash-pocket when he could aid in a
good work. He represented Derby, in the
Liberal interest, from 1848 to 1883,
was a
tower of strength to that party, albeit possessed
of nothing like bigoted opinions.
On the
contrary, it was his custom through life, like
Hal o' the Wynd in The Fair Maid of Perth,
to " fight for his own hand." And as an instance
of his energy and grit, it may be mentioned that
after voting in the House of Commons for Mr.
Gladstone's Irish Church Disestablishment Bill
the division on which did not take place till
2 A.M.—he travelled by the " newspaper train "
at 5 A.M. from Euston to Rugeley in order to
hunt with Mr. Hugo Meynell Ingram's hounds,
later in the morning, changing his clothes on the
way down. The meet was at Brereton Hayes,
close to Cunnock Chase, and I well remember
greeting him that morning, and receiving for a
reply: " Thank you, I'm pretty well for an old
'un." He was over seventy (I think) at the
time. That was three decades ago ; and since
then the trade of Bass has increased enormously.