1897: On this Sunday, so the Peterborough Citizen tells us, the quarterly meeting of the Peterborough Local Government and Municipal Offices Association was held at the Bedford coffee house. The meeting is actually described as a continuation of a previously adjourned quarterly meeting. As the association is reported to have only been formed for three months, that doesn't seem to harbour a good future! However, it was reported that they already had a membership roll of twenty-one - a gratifying achievement - although just twelve members were recorded as present at this meeting. Described as being of a business character, they discussed the Superannuation Bill which, they said, was promised to be brought before Parliament during the present Session. It was pointed out that the bill was a scheme which had been formulated years ago - so there's nothing new there, then. A motion to support the bill was carried unanimously but, it was decided that they would not petition the local MP until the bill was brought before Parliament. Political procrastination is nothing new either. The journalist was probably bored by now because the report finishes with the comment 'this was all the business of public interest'!

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.