Page:Pyrotechnics the history and art of firework making (1922).djvu/126



the Magistrates of Union-Hall, who, however, did not by it seek to punish the defendant with severity but only to inform him and others acting like him, that the Act upon which the present indictment was founded and which so far back as the reign of William III, was passed for the protection of the public, though it had not lately been acted upon, was still in force. The defendant, it appeared, was a man of property and a respectable holder residing in Falcon-Court, where he had for some time past carried on the profession of a firework-maker. The officers of Union-Hall having heard, however, that he was in the habit of supplying boys or any person who applied indiscriminately with these dangerous commodities, they determined, if possible, to put a stop to this traffic, so dangerous to the public safety. For this purpose they sent a person, properly instructed, to purchase some; Goff, Bruce, and some other of the officers remaining near the door to detect him coming out; the purchase was made, and as the purchaser was quitting the house, the officers stopt him and forced their way in. They proceeded to search the premises, and concealed in closets and other parts, they discovered a vast quantity of fireworks of various sizes and descriptions, amounting to 19,600 and weighing upwards of 6 cwt., several of these, singly, were large enough to have spread ruin through the neighbourhood, had they by accident exploded. These the officers took away and deposited at the Office, where they still remained to the great annoyance of the Magistrates waiting the decision of this question."

Hone, in his "Everyday Book," records that at that time, 1825, "A Corporation notice was annually left at the house of every inhabitant in the City of London, previous to lord mayor's day." The following (delivered in St. Bride's) is its form: