Bro. Alderman Sir William Treloar,J. P.

Bro . Alderman Sir William Treloar , J. P .

B RO . Sir William Treloar Avas born on the 13 th January 18 43 , and is a true cockney , having first seen the light in a house Avhere IIOAV stands the raihvay bridge spanning the foot of Ludgate Hill , and few have been born Avithin the sound of BOAV Bells who have served London

more loyally , and with more success . He comes of a good Cornish stock , his father , the late Thomas Treloar , AVIIO Avas the founder of the firm of Avhich Sir William is IIOAV the sole proprietor , having been born in Helston , ConiAvall . At King ' s College School , young William Treloar

established a brilliant record , Avhich culminated by his receiving , in his last year at school , the first prize for general efficiency in all the subjects taught . With his brother , Robert , he then joined his father in the Avorld-fanions mat business at the corner of Ludgate Hill , Avhich eA-en in those long distant days had become a

household AA'ord , though under Sir William ' s guidance the operations of the firm have immensely extended , so that it is IIOAV almost as completely a City institution as Gog and Magog , or the Lord Mayor ' s coach of State . It AA'as in the year 1881 that Sir William first sought the suffrages of the electors of his Ward , Farringdon Without ,

and he set about public life in London with an object for the fulfilment of Avhich he brought into play a masterful determination that broke down all barriers .

For eighteen years the Corporation of London had " trilled " with the problem of the widening of Ludgate Hill , which , none too AA-ide for the requirements of the City eA-en IIOAV , Avas in those days a scandalous anachronism . So the future alderman made this great and necessary reform the chief text of his programme , with so good a result

that he headed the poll with no feAA-er than 1232 A otes , the highest number that has ever been recorded in a City municipal election . In 18 91 Bro . Treloar was elected Chairman of the Commissioners of SeAvers—a body Avhich is responsible for practically all the streets of the City , and everything beneath

them—and that year saAV the completion of the work , the thoroughfare Avhich had previousl y been no more than 47 feet wide , being widened to 60 feet , at a cost of £ 230 , 000 . In June , 18 92 , Bro . Treloar Avas elected an Alderman of his Ward in succession to Sir Polydore de Keyser , who was

retiring on the ground of ill-health . So strong was his claim to the confidence of the Ward , and so complete the belief of the electors in his suitability , that no one A'entured to oppose him . In January , 18 93 , Bro . Alderman Treloar became President of the National Sunday School League , an institution with

which " the biggest and best looking Alderman in London , " as he had been described , has much sympathy . He firmly believes that the Sabbath was made for the discreet , sober enjoyment of man , and that man Avas not made merely to adorn the Sabbath .

Another matter in which Sir William Treloar has always taken a keen , Ave may in fact add , a loving interest , is the welfare of the poor children of the great City , and in this , as in all his good , kindl y works , the Alderman OAA - much to the affectionate support of his Avife . Indeed , the name of Lady Treloar is scarcely less known than his in connection

with the work of entertaining the ragged and destitute little people of London ' s streets . The first of these juvenile parties was given in January , 18 93 , when the children belonging to the schools of Farringdon Without trooped by hundreds to the Guildhall , to enjoy such an evening of fun and entertainment as many

of them had never dreamt of before . And this monster entertainment AA'as only the first of many which the "children ' s Alderman " has organised every year since—his great object apparently being to outdo every year the wonders of the last . The King subscribes to the fund

now , as he has done for the last four or live years , and the alderman generally gets as much as ^ . ' 1400 subscribed every year . With this he gives an entertainment and dinner in the Guildhall to 1500 poor children , and in addition sends out 5000 hampers to crippled poor children in the metropolis . The Ragged School Union having the names and addresses

of these little sufferers , assist in the work of distribution . In 18 99 , the Alderman Avas elected a Sheriff of the Citv , and was created a knight in 1900 . When Sheriff , he did a great deal of work in connection with the forming , equipping , and sending out of the City Imperial Volunteer regiment , thereby greatl y assisting the Lord Mayor , Sir Alfred NeAvton , in this patriotic undertaking " .

BRO . Sill AVILLIAM THKLOAIi . One of the most recent achievements of Sir William Treloar , AVIIO is always abreast with the times , and is fully alive to the commercial and imperial value of our Colonies ,

has been to initiate the exhibition of Colonial productions at the Royal Exchange . To obtain the use of this historic building for an exhibition was a matter of some difficulty , and quite opposed to City traditions , but with Sir William Treloar to dare is to do , and armed with a petition , signed by the Agents-General of some of our Colonies , he brought the

matter before the Common Council , and achieved his end . Before closing the sketch , mention must be made of his admirable little work "Ludgate Hill , Past and Present . " In this he has happily combined the solidity of history with the charm of romance , and there is scarcely a fact or legend

connected with one of the busiest and most celebrated corners of London , which is not presented to the reader in the Alderman ' s well-known humorous and genial vein . It is also