ABOUT MR CHAMBERLAIN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 15

ABOUT MR CHAMBERLAIN.

* ~ ■'. ; ' SOME' RECOLLECTION'S Some very interesting rccollcctious ; -,of' * Sir. Chamberlain appear in the birth-' h day • number of tho ''Searchlight,"-£a'''■! well-known Birmingham publication. < Among the contributors is Mr. George Titterton, who tells that his first, ac- ■ quaintance with Mr. Chamberlain, was ■ in 1863, when he joined a history class 1 taught by the future statesman at the Church of the Messiah: "I have at tho present time two ' prizes won by mo as a member of this class. Ono of these I received in 1864. It was 'Pickwick Papers,' tho other which I won in 1865 was Dickens's : 'Christmas Stories.' This sMras to in- ■; dicato that Mr. Chamberlain had a ,; fondnoss for Dickens in those days, and when lie gavo jno 'Pickwick' I remcm- . her liim says: 'This will stand reading more than oncc.' " Mr. Titterton adds that while ho was a member of this class. Mr. Chamberlain offered him a situation as clerk, with tho firm of Nettlefold and Chamberlain —an offer which he accepted. "I well remember," adds Mr. Titterton, "tho formation of a Mutual Improvement Society at tho Church of the Messiah, and it was at my request that Mr. Chamberlain becamo: its president. .That would bo about 1866 ?>r 1867. In his address at tho first annual meeting I 'reclollcGfc -Mr. Chamberlain saying: ■Some- people are born' to greatness, some'achieve groatnessi-and some have greatness tlirust upon. them. Owing to tho kindness of my friend Mr. Titterton, I have had greatness thrust upon me.' I havo thought since that it was rather a. tall order for me, * a young clerk wftili Mr. Chamberlain's firm, to havo trust greatness upon him. But I know I was very proud at tho time." Many stories could be told of Mr. Chamberlain during his municipal career. On one occasion during his Mayoralty Alderman Taylor was addressing the council at the old Council House in Moor. Street. He referred to the year 1849. Nearly all tho members of the council corrected him, culling out "1859." Alderman Taylor emphatically repeated "1849," Mr. Chamberlain had been talking to tho Town Clerk, but the council becamo so aggressive that it was time for the Mayor to interfere. Mr. Chamberlain quietly roso and said: "Surely, gentlemen, it is no unusual thing for a Tory to bo ten years behind the times." Once at dinner at Highbury a conversation arose as to the various names ?i!r. Chamberlain had been called. "Well, Titterton,-what should;you call me?" he asked. Mr. Tittertfin immediately replied: "I should call.: : you a Radical Onnortunist." Mr. Chamberlain said: "That is exactly what I am." Mr. Titterton makes referenco amongst other things to Mr. Chamberlain's great capacity for hard work. When he came into the Nettlefold lrasi» ness he took control of tho commercial department, and also of tho commercial work outside. At the office, says Mt. Titterton, lie was a keen and rapid worker, and somer/liafeaggressive. On ono occasion a man caiiw to the and complained about a mistnko in an invoicP. Mr. ChnmberLnin said sharplv: "W« never do we, George?" and Mr. Tiitertcp turned up the account and;found.they;were rigb!.. Oii. 'apothc occasion a .customer said that Mr. So-hiid-So had told him tile firm was -nuoting- him more fnvonrtb'M Mr. Chamberlain said: "Well, give Mr. So-nnd-So my compliments, and tell him b° is a liar." Jfr. Chamberlain. Mr. Titterton adds, would always be at the office on the stroke of nine, and left at o'clock. "Ourin? that time he would work as hard .-s it was possible for any man to work." l /