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August 9: The coronation of the new king, Edward VII,
took place in Westminster Abbey. The ceremony had been delayed
from June 26 due to the ill health of the king who underwent an
appendix operation.
 The
brightness of the military parade through London was a little
dimmed by the order that all troops on parade should wear overcoats.
Booming of guns, clanging of bells and cheering of the masses
greeted the king and his queen, Alexandra, as they emerged from
the abbey to take to the state coach. A free celebration banquet
was organised to serve 500,000 poor people.
October 16. Prime Minister Arthur Balfour came close to
being injured when violence erupted on the floor of the House
of Commons. The issue, not for the first time and certainly not
for the last, was Ireland. Still part of the United Kingdom and
yet seething with fury, Ireland felt betrayed over the promise
of Home Rule which Parliament had long dangled in its face and
repeatedly snatched away.
In the Commons, Mr Balfour infuriated Irish MPs when he declared
that it was not desirable nor necessary to debate the condition
of Ireland during the present sitting. One Irish member leapt
forward, broke free of colleagues trying to restrain him and shook
his fists in the face of the prime minister. Although the incident
blew over, it was a sobering reminder of the long-running Irish
problem.
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In
brief
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July 1.
Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition had so far
attracted 474,419 visitors.
August 3.
The first parcel mail from Britain to America sailed on
the ocean liner Teutonic.
August 5.
Walsall magistrates ordered Arthur Batchelor of Borneo Street
to have his child vaccinated within 14 days. Mr Batchelor
said he considered the new Vaccination Act "an injustice
and an insult."
October 4.
Oldbury. Richard Hall of Tat Bank Road, charged with murdering
his wife with a hammer. Horrified locals flocked to the
murder scene.
October 26.
West Bromwich Board of Guardians reported that the cost
of caring for paupers in the town had fallen by "a most
satisfactory" one penny per head. November 8.
December 12.
Wolverhampton Council heard that outside boroughs were eager
to follow its example in "the housing of the working classes."
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