, Humble petition of the porters of the RA to the President and Council

Royal Academy of Arts
22.nd June 1861.

To
The President & Council
We your Humble Petitioners
Porters of the R.A. most earnestly and at
the same time respectfully sheweth that
the various duties of the Porters is not in
strict conformity with the regulations
established by Councel, and bear most
heavy upon the Porters (both in Pocket
and labour) several of the duties are
most trustworthy and responsible
certainly requiring the judgement of a
man who considers he would be very
much lowered in society if he was
compeled to place himself on a level
with a labouring man, this Gentlemen
is the Ground upon which we beg to
submit our humble Petition in the
hope that at least some of the burden
may be removed from our shoulders,
The following is a summary
of the duties complained of
1.st During Exhibition season,
sweeping Hall, Passage, carrying Coals,
laying Fires, removing Ashes, &c but
most particular on Sunday morning
cleaning and washing hall; the only
remedy we have for this is to do it
on

The President & Councel &c __ &c __ &c
Royal Academy

, Humble petition of the porters of the RA to the President and Council

on Saturday night by Lamp light,
now we ask Gentlemen (with due
respect) if a man is at his post
for 12 hours, in what spirit he
would be in to perform such an
Office,
2nd During arraingment no
distinction between the Porters & Ass.t Porter,
only in so far the Ass.t is better off,
from waiting on the Councel (certainly
a most honourable duty of the Porters)
we often the moment that duty is
performed have to proceed to the stoke
hole, and fire up and return to our
room in half an hour more like a
sweep than men filling a respectable
situation
We make no Complaint, Gentlemen
of the treatment of those in Authority over us;
and more so would consider ourselves
honoured in performing any office
for them, no matter what, or how menial,
but certainly we do not relish (pardon
us Gentlemen for so expresing ourselves)
being at the beck and Call of a Chairwomen,
or emptying slops for Female Models,
if necessary to be performed by men,
these duties might be performed by the
Ass.t and not the Porters provided the
Councel think fit,
If 

, Humble petition of the porters of the RA to the President and Council

If Gentlemen what we have
laid before you should not be considered
in conformity with the rules of the R.A.
we trust the blame will be put to our
ignorance, and not to any disrespect,
And your Petitioners will as in
duty bound for ever pray.

HW Belfort Porter M.Farrier Porter

Humble petition of the porters of the RA to the President and Council

RA Collection: Archive

Reference code

RAA/SEC/2/101/1

Title

Humble petition of the porters of the RA to the President and Council

Date

22 Jun 1861

Level

Item

Extent & medium

1p.

Previous reference codes

M 5, 1184

Content Description

The petition expresses dissatisfaction with some of their duties.