Joseph Rayner Stephens in Stamford Park, Stalybridge

 

 'JOSEPH RAYNER STEPHENS
BORN 1805 DIED 1879'

'SCATTER THE SEED! THE SEED OF TRUTH
BELIEVING IT WILL GROW.
LOOK ON THE WILDERNESS IN RUTH
IT WAS NOT ALWAYS SO.
A GARDEN ONCE, IT MAY AGAIN,
A LOVELY GARDEN BE.
IT WANTS THE SUN IT WANTS THE RAIN,
OF GODLIKE CHARITY.
WE WORK AND WAIT, WE TOIL AND TRUST,
SURE THAT THE END WILL COME
THIS WILDERNESS OF EVIL MUST, BE CLOTHED WITH HEAVENLY BLOOM.
             J.R.S.'

 

 'ERECTED
BY THE FACTORY WORKERS OF
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE,
IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE
OF A LONG LIFE SPENT
IN THEIR SERVICE
1888'  

 'AN EARNEST ADVOCATE
OF THE TEN HOURS BILL;
AN ABLE DEFENDER OF
TRADES UNIONS
AND DETERMINED OPPONENT OF
THE NEW POOR LAW.
––––––––
"THE ONLY TRUE FOUNDATION OF
SOCIETY IS THE SAFETY, THE SECURITY
AND THE HAPPINESS OF THE POOR, FROM
WHOM ALL THE OTHER ORDERS OF SOCIETY
ARISE."
DEFENCE AT CHESTER.'  

This, then, was erected 125 years before the present government (with the almost total approval of the 'opposition') gave what amounted to a state funeral for a former premier who undid most of the things that people such as Joseph Rayner Stephens had worked hard for. My disgust is inexpressible.