On the 24th May 1877 young Mr. Richard Rowland Minton and the populace of Ruyton celebrated his coming of age. The Minton family at Clifton House, Coton Farm and at Rock Ferry near Liverpool were very good to the village and the people had much to thank them for so obviously decided the young man should have a good send off into adulthood.

A procession formed at the Admiral Benbow and was led by an excellent band. Next came a well fed ox in a wagon drawn by Farmer Brown's best team of horses all handsomely deco­rated. Then came a large body of Oddfellows Friendly Society from the Admiral Benbow Lodge followed by another well fed and decorated "dinner on a wagon" drawn by Mr. Vaughan's team, this was followed by the school children and finally a long line of enthusiastic well wishers all "desirous of doing honour to an old and valued friend". When the procession arrived at Clifton House, where the young man was -waiting with his family and friends, Mr. Wilkinson, the vicar, delivered an address praising the goodness and goodworks of Mr. Minton senior in a most extravagant way with the "hope and belief and prayer that besides being a dutiful and affection­ate son, he (Mr. Minton junior) may be representative of his generous, beloved and respected parents". Then a handsome and costly medal was presented to the young man by Mr. Joseph Benbow on behalf of the Oddfellows.

The formalities being over, the procession paraded through the village before over 100 friends and neighbours dined at the Admiral Benbow with young Richard as guest of honour. He was presented with a silver goblet by the vicar and also an oak silver mounted cup. In the afternoon Mr. Deacon Jones opened Ruyton Hall and grounds to the public and 1,000 people were entertained to tea in a tent in the Burgage field.

The day ended with a magnificent firework dis­play "under the direction of the eminent artist from the Sydenham Crystal Palace". For those with an interest in figures, here are the quantities bought for the tea in the Burgage field:— 481bs of sugar, 151bs of tea, 2201bs of cake "very good and made by Mr. T. Davies", 2401bs of bread, made by Mr. Bullock, 351bs of butter and 55 quarts of milk. The next day 1,4001bs of prime beef was distri­buted among 212 families, also a quantity of bread and several hundred oranges.

Clifton House on Little Ness Road, home of the Minton Family in 1877	`Presented to Mr. R.R. Minton on attaining his majority` inscribed round the top edge

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