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SOME ACCOUNT OF THE "CHIP CHAP CLUB."
BY PERCY THOMPSON, F.L.S.
(Read 31st January, 1925.)
(With 1 Plate).
THE late Samuel Smiles, in his various books, has brought
to our notice the lives of many men of humble station,
who, despite the restrictions imposed by life-long poverty,
yet managed to lift themselves above their discouraging sur-
roundings and sought knowledge on a wider plane than that
afforded by their environment. Thomas Edward, the shoe-
maker of Banff, and Robert Dick, the baker of Thurso, are
notable examples of such men.
The present article purposes to give some account of a small
group of poor workmen whose efforts, inspired as they were by
an earnest desire for knowledge, should both command our
respect and excite our emulation.
In January 1883, four working men of Canning Town,
whose interest had become awakened in natural science, formed
themselves into a private association to which, at first, they
gave the name of "The Canning Town Field Club." They
were Amos Herring, a man of over 50 years of age ; Phillip
Thornhill, aged from 25 to 30 years ; William H. Smith, 24 years
old ; and William Swain, of middle age. Thornhill was son-
in-law to Herring. Each of the four was engaged in daily labour 
Herring and Thornhill were boilermakers, Smith was a store-
keeper at the Victoria Docks, and Swain was his assistant-
storekeeper.
The meetings of the little coterie were held at one or the
other's house (usually at Herring's, in Montesquieu Street,
Canning Town), at first irregularly, but after some months
weekly in the evening ; and their field excursions were necessarily
held on Sundays, that day being their only one of leisure.
Amos Herring was elected President of the Club, and William H.
Smith, who wrote a fine hand and who undoubtedly possessed
an education superior to that of his fellows, was appointed
Honorary Secretary. Rules were drawn up, and minutes of
the meetings were faithfully kept ; the minute book, which
has now come into the possession of the Essex Museum, throws
a most interesting light upon the proceedings of these four
earnest, scientifically-minded workmen.