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occurrence of an annual ceremony, and is alluded to in a 
memorandum pinned into the minute book, containing among 
other things this item, “June 10, 1728, paid for ye poles 6s.” 
These, I take it, were the wands carried by the officers. 
They could make their own gowns, so there is no mention of 
these in the accounts. 
Of the Feast there are numerous hints from the earliest to the 
latest entries. 
Two pounds were given yearly out of the common fund to the 
Master towards the feast, but whether this took the place of the 
_ 2s. 6d. paid by the Bristol members I cannot discover, but the 
Master must have been at additional expense as it is called a 
contribution. 
‘Sept. 22, 1729. Paid the Master towards his feast £2 0 O 
Sept. 21, 1691. Reed. of Mr. Baber out of his 
£3 10s. towards ye feast 2 0 0 
This Mr. Benjamin Baber was a man of considerable importance, 
and made several gifts of money to the Corporation. He is 
always mentioned with the prefix of Mr., a title generally denied 
at that time to other members. He was Alderman of Bath, Master: 
of the Company 1666, and almost always Feoffee. He was Mayor 
of Bath 1677, 1687 and 1700, and his token is amongst those 
figured in Warner’s History of Bath. But though living in 
affluence compared with his brother tailors he was the recipient 
of White’s Charity in 1694. Such things then generally fell to- 
the lot of ‘‘him that had.” The feast which took place annually 
was not a dull entertainment, where only the sound of knives 
and forks was heard till the dinner was concluded. 4s. was paid 
in 1691 “towards the Musick” and 11s. 8d. June 10, 1728. 
Whether the wives and daughters of the Bristol Fellowship 
were allowed to sit in a gallery and watch with hungry eyes 
their lords partaking of the choicest delicacies J cannot discover, 
but it was the custom for the wives of the Masters and Wardens. 
at Bristol the day after the Feast to walk into the country and 

