(BOULTON, Matthew) LANDER, George An answer to the pamphlet of Matthew Robinson Boulton, Esq. of Soho, relative to his father's funeral. Birmingham, 1811
8vo. 66pp, folding plan of funeral procession (clean tear at one fold). Orig. stiff blue printed paper wrappers. A death in the family always brings out the worst in people and clearly the death of Matthew Boulton in August 1809 was no exception. Samuel Smiles writes of him, “Though he fell like a shock of corn in full season, his death was lamented by a wide circle of relatives and friends...six hundred of [his workmen] followed the hearse, and there was scarcely a dry eye among them.” This elaborate funeral with its long procession was master-minded by George Lander who was instructed by Boulton’s son, Matthew Robinson Boulton, “that the funeral was intended to be upon an extensive scale...and that it was to be furnished in the handsomest manner, avoiding ostentation”. The funeral cost the enormous sum of £544.17s.2d and the bill was promptly queried by M.R.Boulton, who in 1811 issued a pamphlet, “Documents relative to an Investigation of the Manner in which the Funeral of the late Matthew Boulton, Esq. was furnished”. Much of the money went on the necessary funeral garb of hatbands and scarves, some of twilled sarcenet and some of silk, together with superfine broadcloth used to cover the pulpit, the family pew and the bier, and Boulton felt that the materials were not up to the quality for which he had paid. Lander defended himself in the present pamphlet, replying to Boulton’s accusations and producing many documents from witnesses in the drapery business.
£280
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