Workmen's excursion to Nomansland and Mr Thrale
During 2005, I was contacted by Richard Herbert of Herbert Group Limited who was trying to write company's history . During his research, he found a newspaper clipping about an outing to No Man's Land on Saturday July 15th 1871, arranged by his great-great-grandfather.
Newspaper article. Click on image to enlarge.
Richard contacted me to ask if I had any records of such visits. Were they regular, or was this a special one? He also asked about the King William Inn, which he could not trace. I was fascinated to read the article that he kindly sent me, which is reproduced below, together with a contemporary receipt from the publishers.
"Messrs. Herbert and Sons, scale-makers and gas fitters, of St. George-street, E., King's Cross, and 7, West Smithfield, E.C., gave their annual treat to the workmen in their employ on Saturday last. The spot this year selected was King William inn, No Man's Land, about fivemiles beyond St. Albans, a charmingly rural location, and which to London denizens must have presented the most perfect realization of "fresh fields and pastures new," which the jaded mind sighs after. The journey was, it is needless to say, an unusually long one to travel by road. The start was made by private Omnibus, with four horses, from King's Cross, a little before nine o'clock, and "No Man's Land" was not reached until half-past one. Dinner was immediately partaken of, with appetites sharpened by the drive, and was supplied, in a manner that gave the most perfect satisfaction, by Mr. T. Archer, the landlord of the "King-William." Mr. Herbert occupied the chair, and Mr. George Herbert the vice-chair. The after-dinner proceedings were necessarily limited to the loyal toast, and the toasts of the day, "Prosperity to the firm, and the healths of the Messrs. Herberts and families," which was briefly introduced by Mr. Wallis, and drunk with the utmost cordiality and good feeling. After dinner, the party had the privilege of inspecting a "very interesting private collection of rare British birds, &c. and of antiquities, at the residence of Mr. Thrale, by whom they were most hospitably received, and who allowed them also the run of a well-stocked orchard. A second muster took place at the "King William" for tea, and about seven o'clock the party left "No Man's Land.' With the exception of a smart thunder shower as they reached St. Albans, on the return journey, the weather was all that could be desired, and the entire trip was one of the most enjoyable yet taken under the kindly and liberal auspices of Messrs. Herbert and Sons."
Publishers receipt . Click on image to enlarge.
I am pleased that I was able to assist Richard by telling him that the curators were brothers Ralph and Norman Thrale who were my first cousins, five time removed. was unable to say if such visits were regular - I guess they were occasional - it was a museum.
The 'King William inn', was later renamed 'The Park Hotel', and later renamed in 1970 'The Wicked Lady'. It still trades as a Beefeater pub / restaurant called the Wicked Lady after Wicked Lady Ferrers of Markyate who took to highway robbery and received fatal wounds at Nomansland.
