5 p.m.
But Thomas Bradly had set his heart on having a special temperance demonstration before her departure ; so it was put before Mr Maltby , and a grand temperance tea-party and open-air meeting at Cricketty Hall was announced for the second Saturday in July . It soon got whispered about that something more than usual was to be expected in the speeches after the tea ; and as every one knew that `` Tommy Tracks '' could get up a capital meeting , there was a good deal of attention drawn to the subject among the operatives and people generally in the town and neighbourhood . Bills of a large size had been duly posted , and small handbills left at every house ; and a prayer-meeting had been held on the Wednesday evening previous , to seek a special blessing on the coming gathering , so that its promoters looked hopefully for a fine day , and were not disappointed . Tea was to begin at 5 p.m. , and the meeting as near half-past six as could be accomplished . Crossbourne human nature , like the human nature in most English manufacturing districts , had a great leaning to tea - parties and _ fetes _ , the latter name being sometimes preferred by the younger men as being more imposing . On the present occasion there was an abundance of interested and willing helpers , so that early in the Saturday afternoon the road to Cricketty Hall was all alive with comers and goers , more or less busy with band and tongue ; while carts of many shapes and sizes were conveying the eatables and drinkables up to the old ruin . The tea-tickets had sold well , and there was evidently much expectation in the minds of the public generally .