[Illustration: MEETING OF TICKET-OF-LEAVE MEN.
[_From a Sketch._]
[_See page_ 430.
]
A meeting of ticket-of-leave men, convened by Mr. H. Mayhew, was
held some time since at the National Hall, Holborn, with the view of
affording to persons of this class, who are anxious to lead a reformed
life, an opportunity of stating the difficulties they have to encounter
in their endeavour to obtain a honest livelihood. About fifty members
of the body responded to Mr. Mayhew’s invitation. The men were admitted
on presenting their tickets-of-leave, and were required on entrance
to fill up the columns of a register, setting forth their ages, their
occupations, the offence for which they were last convicted, their
sentences, and the amount of instruction they had severally received.
From the information thus collected, it appears that only 3 out of the
50 present were above the age of 40, the large majority ranging between
18 and 35, the highest age of all being 68; that they consisted of
labourers, hawkers, costermongers, blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters,
and other handicraftsmen; that their previous punishments varied from 2
years to 14 years’ transportation; and that more than one-half of them
had been educated either at day schools or Sunday schools. Suspecting
that the men would be unwilling to attend if the police presented
themselves, either in the hall or at its entrance, Mr. Mayhew took the
precaution to apply beforehand to the Metropolitan Commissioners on the
subject. The authorities at once acceded to the request thus made to
them, and not a solitary constable was permitted to overawe the meeting.
[Illustration: TICKET-OF-LEAVE MEN.
[_From a Photograph._]