A TRIBUTARY OF THE SEVERN 85 
signature, “John Bradbury.” Sir John, who 
subsequently was appointed Principal Reparations 
Commissioner for the British Government, was 
himself born at Winsford in Cheshire. 
Market Drayton inspires loyalty in its sons. 
A famous journalist, who in his earlier days had 
visited Market Drayton on an important occasion, 
in some reminiscences written years after from 
London, either described it as a little town, or 
referred to a village street, I forget which. Market 
Drayton’s population in those days was roughly 
between two and three thousand, though now it 
is considerably more. My father, who had the 
greatest love for and pride in the old Shropshire 
town, was indignant that it should have been so 
belittled. It was “a town” ;—aye, the best, the 
only, town in all the world to him, though he had 
been overseas, This pride of birthplace or scene 
of settlement is at the root of national pride, and 
one likes to see it. I was reminded of my father’s 
attitude by that of the worthy landlord of a fish- 
ing hotel in another town, containing about two 
thousand people, a delightful spot, but not what 
you might call “rapid.” He had motored me to an 
adjoining town of about three times its size. When 
we were coming away from it, I remarked its wide 
street and substantial shops and said: “ Quite a 
big town, this.” “Yes,” he admitted, adding con- 
fidentially, “ but I should not like to live here ; 
it’s too slow; very slow!” 
The Tern from Market Drayton elbows its 
way near the foot of Salisbury Hill, where 
