Young Sikes often wondered whether these people had ever heard
of Dr. Franklin, and of his method of avoiding beggary or bad times by
saving their money when trade was brisk and they were well off.
Early in 1833, Mr. Sikes entered the service of the Huddersfield Banking
Company. It was the second joint stock bank that had been established in
England. The prudence and success with which the Scotch banking
companies had been conducted induced the directors to select a Scotch
manager. One of the first resolutions the directors adopted, was to give
deposit receipts for sums of ten pounds and upwards, for the purpose of
encouraging the working classes in habits of providence and thrift. Mr.
Sikes, being somewhat of a favourite with the manager, often heard from
his lips most interesting accounts of the provident habits of the Scotch
peasantry, and was informed by him of the fact that one of the banks at
Perth paid not less than twenty thousand pounds a year as interest on
deposits varying from ten to two hundred pounds each.
In 1837, Mr. Sikes became one of the cashiers of the company. This
brought him into direct contact and intercourse with the very class
which, from the direction his mind was taking, he so much wished to
understand,--namely, the thrifty portion of the industrious classes.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219