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Labour-in-Vain
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In today's political climate, this sign has
inevitably become highly controversial. This sign in
Oldswinford was removed from the building's exterior and
mounted on a wall in the rear porch of the building.
However, this has since been taken down. The sign depicts
two women attempting to scrub a black boy white.
Understandably, black people find this offensive. Those who
oppose this view claim that the subject is tongue-in-cheek
and, in any case, emerged before there was any racism in
Great Britain. I can appreciate both sides' argument though
it is hard to imagine a world without racism - in any era.
It is worth noting that the pub was called the Malt Shovel
in 1822. There are similar signs around the UK although it
is claimed that they were originally meant to imply that any
attempts to brew ale to the same high standards as they do
would indeed be labour in vain.
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Lamb
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Like this first example in Ashby de la Zouch, the
Lamb is normally accompanied by The Flag on many pub signs.
Actually, there are not too many pubs called simply The
Lamb. One in London celebrates a conduit pipe built by
William Lamb in the sixteenth century which brought a supply
of fresh water. Another in Somerset takes its name from the
Lamb Brewery which once produced ales in Frome. However, the
Lamb and Flag is a heraldic sign referring usually to the
Knights Templar. The passage in John1:29 (Behold the lamb of
God which taketh away the sins of the world) has meant that
the lamb has always been of great significance in the
Christian world. The lamb is a parallel with Jesus Christ.
Indeed, as a saintly emblem, a lamb accompanies the likes of
John the Baptist. The lamb on the Ashby sign has a halo
above its head and carries the flag associated with the
crusades. Located in Melbourne, Derbyshire, the second sign
stands outside a pub called the Lamb Inn. It is named after
Lord Melbourne, the first Prime Minister under Queen
Victoria, who was born on the edge of the town at Melbourne
Hall. William Lamb, 2nd Viscount (1779-1848) was educated at
Eton, Trinity College, Cambridge and Glasgow. He became Whig
MP for Leominster in 1805 but accepted in 1827 the chief-secretaryship
of Ireland in Canning's government and retained it under
Goderich (the Earl of Ripon) and Wellington. Succeeding as
second viscount in 1828, he returned to the Whigs and became
home secretary in 1830. For a few months of 1834 he was
premier, and, premier again in 1835, and was still in office
at the accession of Queen Victoria when he showed remarkable
tact in introducing her to her duties. In 1841 he passed the
seals of office to Peel and later took little part in public
affairs. His wife (1785-1828), a daughter of the Earl of
Bessborough, wrote novels as Lady Caroline Lamb as was
notorious for her nine month's devotion (1812-3) to Lord
Byron. The charge brought against Melbourne in 1836 of
seducing the writer and reformer, Caroline Norton, was
thrown out at once. Meanwhile, Lady Lamb was banished to
Melbourne in 1824.
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