Presentations.—­No local antiquarian has yet given us note of the first public presentation made by the inhabitants of this town, though to the men they have delighted to honour they have never been backward with such flattering and pleasing tokens of goodwill.  Some presentations have been rather curious, such as gold-plated buttons and ornate shoe buckles to members of the Royal Family in hopes that the patronage of those individuals would lead to changes in the fashion of dress, and so influence local trade.  The gift of a sword to Lord Nelson, considering that the said sword had been presented previously to a volunteer officer, was also of this nature.  The Dissenters of the town gave L100 to the three troops of Light Horse who first arrived to quell the riots in 1791, and a similar sum was voted at a town’s meeting; each officer being presented with a handsome sword.  Trade should have been good at the time, for it is further recorded that each magistrate received a piece of plate valued at one hundred guineas.—­Since that date there have been hundreds of presentations, of greater or lesser value, made to doctors and divines, soldiers and sailors, theatricals and concert-hall men, lawyers and prizefighters, with not a few to popular politicians and leading literary men &c.  Lord Brougham (then plain Mr.) being the recipient at one time (July 7, 1812); James Day, of the Concert Hall, at another (0ct. 1,1878); the “Tipton Slasher” was thus honoured early in 1865, while the Hon. and Very Rev. Grantham Yorke, D.D., was “gifted” at the latter end of 1875.  Among the presentations of later date have been those to Dr. Bell Fletcher, Mr. Gamgee, Mr. W.P.  Goodall, and other medical gentlemen; to Canon O’Sullivan, the late Rev. J.C.  Barratt, and other clergymen; to Mr. Edwin Smith, secretary of Midland Institute; to Mr. Schnadhorst of the Liberal Association; to Mr. Jesse Collings, for having upheld the right of free speech by turning out of the Town Hall those who differed with the speakers; and to John Bright in honour of his having represented the town in Parliament for twenty-five year.—­On April 30, 1863, a handsome silver repousse table was presented to the Princess of Wales on the occasion of her marriage, the cost, L1,500, being subscribed by inhabitants of the town.

Price Of Bread.—­At various times during the present century the four-pound loaf has been sold here as follows:—­At 4-1/2d. in 1852; at 7-1/2d. in 1845; at 9-1/2d. in June, 1857, and June, 1872; at l0d. in December, 1855, June, 1868, and December, 1872; at l0-1/2d. in February, 1854, December, 1855, December, 1867, and March, 1868, at 11d. in December, 1854, June, 1855, and June 1856; at ll-1/2d. in November, 1846, May and November, 1847, and May, 1848; at 1s. and onwards to 1s. 5-1/2d. in August, 1812, and again in July, 1816; and may God preserve the poor from such times again.—­See “Hard Times.”