One of the largest publishing houses in London, that of Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, was founded by John Cassell, a Lancashire carpenter, who walked to London, and when he arrived in the metropolis¹, found himself with the handsome sum of twopence-halfpenny in his pocket.  He was an earnest teetotaller, and became known as a temperance lecturer.  He next commenced the sale of coffee, and finding that there was little wholesome² reading for the class to which he originally belonged, he commenced a cheap publication, called the Working-man’s Friend.  In time other works followed.  He then got an immense number of stereos of engravings from French publications, and began to publish illustrated³ periodicals.  In time he was joined by Messrs. Petter and Galpin, printers; and after Mr. Cassell’s lamented⁵ death the firm developed the business, till it became one of the most gigantic character.  As an illustration of the remarkable⁶ extent of the firm’s business, I may mention that, at a tea-meeting, held in the Cannon⁷ Street Hotel in the early part of 1878, at which more than 600 workmen were present, Mr. Jeffery, one of the partners, stated, “That Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, with the view of benefiting those of their employés who had already given, or might hereafter give, long and faithful service to the firm, had resolved to set aside, from year to year, a fixed⁸ proportion of their profits to form a fund, out of which certain benefits might, at their discretion⁹, be paid.  The scheme would provide for the payment of a sum of money, varying according to length of service, to the family or representative of any person who might die in their employment after seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years’ service, or, as the case might be, for the payment of bonuses of similar amounts p. 103to those who, having served at least seven years, might be incapacitated by old age, after the age of sixty-five, or who might before that age be totally unable to perform any labour owing to accident or disease.  It had been estimated that the fund about to be instituted would provide for the following payments:—To overseers and managing clerks, after seven years’ service, £50; after fourteen years’ service, £75; after twenty-one years’ service, £100: to clickers, sub-foremen, and first-class clerks, after seven years’ service, £37 10s.; after fourteen years’ service, £56 5s.; after twenty-one years’ service, £75: to workmen, workwomen, and clerks, after seven years’ service, £25; after fourteen years’ service, £37 10s.; after twenty-one years’ service, £50.  The scheme, which also provided for some other payments, would come into operation from the commencement of the present year.  It was intended that a periodical revision of these tables should be made by an actuary.  The amount appropriated for carrying out the proposal for 1878 amounted to £600, and Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin wished to set out the fact that these benefit arrangements were voluntary on their part, and might be

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