Author: secretary

Sir Isaac Pitman was a lifelong advocate of reforming the spelling of the English language. From this came the creation of phonetic writing. This ‘shorthand’ was published in a pamphlet in 1837.

“On Tuesday evening last, an interesting lecture and explanations were given at the Temperance Library, by Masters Wm. Green and Holland Brown, of the Phonographic Corresponding Society, Phonography, a new art of improved writing, invented by Mr. Isaac Pitman, of Bath. The redundancy and deficiency of the common English alphabet, and the absurdity of the method of writing and spelling usually adopted by the British nation, were clearly exhibited, and the completeness and adequacy of the phonetic alphabet distinctly proved. Several diagrams of the phonographic character were explained, and specimens of the facility of writing and deciphering it were given, the speakers reading it quite as fast as the long English. After the lecture, a very spirited conversation took place, and questions put by the company were satisfactorily answered by the two youths. We think this science is likely to be more available than any similar one yet invented, it having distinct marks for every sound uttered by the human voice; and if generally introduced in lieu of the common alphabet, would be a valuable boon to all classes of society, and innumerable benefits might accrue from its acquisition. We would heartily recommend and encourage youth to practise this art, on account of its great simplicity, and its being so very legible when written, unlike the old tedious forms of shorthand hitherto used. We hear that the subject is to be resumed next Tuesday evening, when more practical specimens are to be given on the spot, of the applicability of this new way of ‘talking on paper’ in all the languages of our babbling earth.”

The Stamford Mercury, 7th February, 1845.

This is the last sentence of the article in Pitman’s shorthand. With many thanks to Elaine Allwood from Carlby for transforming it.

The Peterborough to Syston railway (which came through Stamford) was opened in May 1848. Thank goodness the plans reported here were changed or we should have had the railway line going right across the town meadows and two bridges across the river Welland! The station was to be in Wharf Road, which was to be blocked. A temporary station was built in September, 1846 and the cutting under High Street, St. Martin’s then commenced. The building of Station Road was started in July 1849.

“The Syston Railway – On referring to the plans left with the Parish Clerks, we find that the line, after passing through Uffington meadow, proceeds about 10 chains* south of Hudd’s-mills, crosses the Welland, and proceeds through the bottom part of Earl Brownlow’s gardens, close at the back of the gas-works, to the Station in Wharf Road, (which road will be stopped up,) and thence along the site of the houses now occupied by Messrs. George, Bunning, Pinney and Eayrs; then again crosses the Welland and passes through the centre of the path between the Lammas and George bridges, and thence along the Broad meadow to Breadcroft, in the parish of Tinwell, Tinwell meadow, to Ketton, &c.”

The Stamford Mercury, 3rd January, 1845.

*10 chains = 220 yards (approx. 201 meters)

Following on from our recent piece about the joy of reading old newsapapers, this book carries a stark warning of what can be lost when technology (in this case in the form of microfiche) takes over. Luckily, at the archive we have a virtually complete run of The Stamford Mercury from the middle of the eighteenth century (complete from the 1780s). We still have the microfilm, too, and use it to avoid handling the newspapers too much.

“Libraries need to move with the times, but too confident a step in the wrong direction can lead to calamity. A famous, notorious example was the decision of lending libraries to first film, then jettison, their collections of historic newspapers. The advantage was obvious, as newspapers take up an enormous space and tend to degrade; but the chosen rescue technology, microfiche, proved equally transitional. Within a few decades the microfiches were functionally unusable, and the newspapers long gone. Eventually the microfiche readers were themselves removed from the reading rooms, tomorrow’s technology now redundant.”

From The Library: A Fragile History Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen.

Quite how mermaids could be taught to spin, having no feet to work the pedals of a spinning machine?! However, we have seen mermaids in wonderful films over the years, so they must exist.

“The appearances of mermaids to human sight have been, ‘like angels’ visits, few and far between;’ indeed some savans have doubted than any such creature ever existed, except in the regions of fancy or the gull-traps of fraud. No doubt here, as in weightier matters, craft and credulity have acted sp as tp ,ale ,amy think the whole race of mermen and maidens fabulous. In the few accounts on record of the capture of various specimens of these animals, there is much of the marvellous intermixed; for instance, we are told that one which was caught in Holland in 1430 was taught to spin by some young girls, and derived from them some notions of the Deity, and made its reveremnces very devoutly whenever it saw a crucifix.’ An extraordinary mermaid that, and ‘very like a whale,’ as the saying goes. But there is now exhibiting in Regent-street a mermaid, which, though it pretended to no notions of a deity itself, was regarded as one by some natives of South America, who caught it in the Rio de la Plata, and prepared it after a rude manner for presevation. From them it was puchased, the exhibiter states, by two travellers, for the British Museum, the authorities of which have given him special permission to show it for a time. The same authority gives the following description of this ‘mermaid, or siren of the sea,’ as it is designated:- ‘The features are both pleasing and interesting; its teeth are of a snowy whiteness, without any grinders, with cartilaginous gums, tongue, and roof to the mouth. The two arms, which are short, terminate with short webben fingers, each having the appearance of a nail at the end. The bust is perfectly that of a woman. the back is nearly covered with fins, placed in opposite directions, in front of the body. An inspection will certainly confirm this statment; and as naturalists have not condescended to define what a mermaid is under its proper class – mammalia – we may venture perhaps to pronounce this to be as good a one as ever was seen. After being submitted to the view of the Queen and Prince Albert, this ‘siren of the sea’ is to be present at Birmingham during the approaching music festival, a fearful rival to each biped songstress there, who in competition with this fish-woman or woman-fish, will find herself vox et preterea nihil.*

The Stamford Mercury, 15th September, 1843.

*voice and nothing more/sound without substance

This short paragraph epitomises exactly what all the wonderful volunteers here at the Stamford Mercuy Archive believe. We have over three centuries of newspapers carefully stored in acid-free boxes on roller-racking shelving.

“Many people take newspapers, but few preserve them; yet the most interesting reading imaginable is a file of old newspapers. It brings up the very age, with all its bustle and every day affairs, and marks its spirit and its genius more than the most laboured description of the historian. Who can take a paper dated half a century ago, without the thoguht that almost every name there printed is not cut upon a tombstone at the head of an epitaph?”

The Stamford Mercury, 3rd November, 1843.

You may not know, but members of the public are welcome to visit the archive by appointment to make a search of the Stamford Mercury via our microfilm. Use of the archive is free for personal research; but we do make a small charge for images (scans or photographs; A4/A3 which cost £1 each).  Our opening hours are Tuesdays 10.30 am – 1 pm, Thursdays 9.30 – 11.30 am and Fridays 1.30 – 4.00 pm. As the archive is not completely indexed it will be helpful to you if you have an idea of the dates you want to search.

Please visit the contact page of our website for details on how to contact us at the Stamford Mercury Archive, and the Using the archive page for more details on enquiries.

Two friends were involved in a misunderstanding, which lead to one being brutally beaten by the other who had failed to recognise him. It is doubtful they remained friends. . .

“Last Tuesday evening, Mr. Feakins of Easondine, intending to pay a visit to a female acquaintance at Tollthorpe in the county of Rutland, went to the place of her residence, but not finding her at home, imagined she was gone to Mr. Goodwin’s, a miller, at the same place; he therefore went to learn whether she was there or not. – Unfortunately for Mr. Feakins, he was perceived by one of the servants, who informed Mr. Goodwin that a person had been looking in at the window. – Some villains having a short time before attempted to break into his house, he immediately order’d his gun, and followed Mr. Feakins, fired at him, shattered his hand in a most miserable manner, and then struck him a violent blow on the wounded arm with the butt end of his piece, before he knew his person. – Mr. Feakins is in a very dangerous state, a mortification being apprehended; and his arm is necessarily order’d to be cut off. – What renders this misfortune the more distressing to the parties, Mr. Feakins and Mr. Goodwin were intimate acquaintance, and very good friends.”

The Stamford Mercury, 22nd December, 1774.

The procedure set out to ‘restore animation’, albeit it specific and detailed, would, we think, have taken rather too long to administer. Or course, we know now that the important thing is to give CPR as soon as possible.

“RESTORING ANIMATION. – On the suggestion of a correspondent, we present at this season, which accidents usually occur from bathing, the following directions for the recovery of drowned persons, as recommended by the Royal Humane Society of London.

1. As soon as the patient is taken out of the water, the wet clothes, if the person is not naked at the time of the accident, should be taken off with all possible expedition on the spot (unless some convenient house be very near), and a great coat or two, or some blankets if convenient, should be wrapped round the body.
2. The patient is to be thus carefully conveyed in the arms of three or four men, or on a bier, to the nearest public or other house, where a good fire, if in the winter season, and a warm bed, can be made ready for its reception. As the body is conveying to this place, a great attention is to be paid to the position of the head; it must be kept supported in a natural and easy posture, not suffered to hang down.
3. In cold or moist weather, the patient is to be laid on a mattress or bed before the fire, but not too near, or in a moderately heated room: in warm and sultry weather on a bed only. The body is then to be wrapped as expeditiously as possible with a blanket, and thoroughly dried with warm coarse cloths or flannels.
4. In summer or sultry weather too much air cannot be admitted. For this reason it will be necessary to set open the windows and doors, as cool refreshing air is of the greatest importance in the process of resuscitation.
5. Not more than six persons are to be present to apply the proper means; a great number will be useless, and may retard, or totally prevent, the restoration of life, by rendering the air of the partment unwholesome. It will be necessary, therefore, to request the absence of those who attend merely from motives of curiosity.
6. It will be proper for one of the attendants, with a pair of bellows of the common size, applying the pipe a little way up one nostril, to blow with some force, in order to introduce air into the lungs; at the same time the other nostril and the mouth are to be closed by another assistant, whilst a third person gently presses the chest with his hands, after the lungs are observed to be inflated. By pursuing this process, the noxious and stagnant vapours will be expelled, and natural breathing imitated. If the pipe of the bellows be too large, the air may be blown in at the mouth, the nostrils at the same time being closed, so that it may not escape that way: but the lungs are more easily filled, and natural breathing better imitated, but blowing up the nostril.
7. Let the body be gently rubbed with common salt, or with flannels sprinkled with spirits, as rum or geneva. A warming pan heated (the body being surrounded with flannel) may be lightly moved up and down the back. Fomentations of hot brandy are to be applied to the pit of the stomach, loins, &c., and often renewed. Bottles filled with hot water, heated tiles covered with flannel or hot bricks, may be efficaciously applied to the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and other parts of the body, The temples may be rubbed with spirits of hartshorn. and the nostrils now and then tickled with a feather; and snuff, or eau de luce*, should be occasionally applied.
8. Tobacco fumes should be thrown up the fundament: if a fumigator be not at hand, the common pipe may answer the purpose. The operation should be frequently performed, as it is of importance; for the good effects of the process have been experienced in a variety of instances of suspended animation. But should the application of tobacco smoke in this way not be immediately convenient, or other impediments arise, clysters of this herb, or other acrid infusions with salt, &c. may be thrown up with advantage.
9. When these means have been employed a considerable time without success, and any brewhouse or warm bath can be radily obtained, the body should be carefully conveyed to such a place, and remain in the bath, or surrounded with warm grains, for three or four hours. If a child has been drowned, its body should be wiped perfectly dry, and immediately placed in bed between two healthy persons. The salutary effects of the natural vital warmth, conveyed in this manner, have been proved in a variety of successful cases.
10. While the various methods of treatment are employed, the body is to be well shaken evey ten minutes, in order to render the process of animation more certainly successful; and children in particular, are to be much agitated, by taking hold of their legs and arms, frequently and for a continuance of time. In various instances agitation has forwarded the recovery of boys who have been drowned, and continued for a considerable time apparently dead.
11. If there be any signs of returning life, such as sighing, gasping, or convulsive motions, a spoonful of any warm liquid may be administered; and if the act of swallowing is returned, then a cordial of warm brandy or wine may be given in small quantities, and frequently repeated.”

The Stamford Mercury, 22nd June, 1821.

*volatile liquid soap, with a strong pungent smell.

A pug dog was deemed to be an interested witness in this case. He was able to give vocal and physical evidence of the identity of his owner.

COURT of KING’S BENCH, Nov. 30.

Grammont v. Boyton. – This was an action of trover*. The defendant was charged with the conversion# of a pug dog. – Mr. Marryat, who opened the plaintiff’s case, proposed to support it by at least a dozen witnesses. The defendant admitted the taking of the dog, but alleged that he took him in the way of recovery: he confessed that he had found the dog when lost by the plaintiff, but affirmed that he had himself originally lost the dog, and that it was through such loss that the dog had first come into the plaintiff’s possession.

The Lord Chief Justice doubted whether the cause would not be better taken out of Court. The evidence of the dog himself would probably be necessary.

Mr. Gurney, had no objection to that course. The dog, indeed, was his leading witness.

Mr. Marryat begged to deny that fact: the dog was his witness – subpoenaed indeed by him.

Mr. Gurney, in that case, would insist upon cross-examining him.

Mr. Marryat was ready to refer the cause, but the dog would appear most clearly to belong to the plaintiff. In fact, he had already escaped once or twice from the defendant, and had made his way to his rightful owner.

Mr. Comyn took the dog to be an interested witness. It was doubtful how far his evidence would be admissible.

Mr. Gurney was ready to give him a release.

Mr. Marryat – Now you know that you keep him always tied up: if he were released, he would be with us in a moment.

Here the prisoner (the dog) from the lower end of the hall, testified viva voce to the truth of Mr. Marryat’s assertion.

The Lord Chief Justice said that the dog would give his evidence far more collectedly in a prrivate room, before some gentlemen of the bar, Such gentlemen might have more acquaintance with dogs than he (the Lord Chief Justice) could pretend to.

Mr. Gurney was of the same opinion, but his clients demurred.

The Lord Chief Justice was sorry fo it. There was somethjing inconsistent with the decorum of a Court in having such a witness as a dog produced.

Mr. Marryat said that his client was afraid lest the arbitrator might award damages instead of the dog. Nothing could compensate the loss of the animal.

The Lord Chief Justice said that the plaintiff might be ensured: let the arbitrator (to either party) award the dog and nominal damages.

The parties then agreed to refer,

The Stamford Mercury, 7th December, 1821.

*Trover – A law action to recover the value of chattels or goods.

#Conversion – Taking with intent of exercising ownership over a chattel.

A violent storm struck in the local area resulting in damages, costly repairs with broken panes and looking-glasses.

“On Sunday last, a quarter before two P.M the greatest storm visited this place ever occurred in the memory of it’s eldest inhabitant. The awful grandeur of the elements previous to it’s breaking forth no one could contemplate without being forcibly struck with the Psalmist’s sublimity, wherein he describes the omnipotent as riding on the whirlwind and directing the storm. Incellant lightning, continued thunder, the clouds intersecting each other in an extraordinary manner, excessive sulphorous heat attended by darkness (at which time a thermometer in the west aspect stood at 75, and fell before two o’clock to 60 degrees) preceded a violent tempest of hail and wind from the south west, which continued for about 20 minutes, and fearcely left a window whole in the town facing south or west; many had all the panes broke, and in some instances whole lights were drove in by hail stones, several of which measured five inches in circumference and weighed more than an ounce. It is supposed that 1,200l. will not pay the damages done in this place only.

We understood the above storm extended about six miles in width; was equally violent in it’s effects at Kettering and neighbourhood, where Boughton-house alone has received damage to the amount of 300l. From thence our readers may trace it’s direction by remarking the dreadful ravages at Dean, the seat of Lord Cardigan; Lord Carberry’s at Laxton, where fearce a pane was left whole in front of the hall, in which it broke several looking-glasses; tore up trees, and killed a cow;-at Fineshade, the Hon.J. Monckton’s; Kirby, the Hon. Finch Hatton’s; Bulwick, Blatherwick, Harringworth, Wakerley, Barrowden, Duddington, Collyweston, Easron, Ketton, Tickencote, the two Castertons, and as far as the 84th milestone on the north road, which appears to have been it’s boundary that way. Ryal, Witham-o’-th’-Hill, Grimsthorpe, where the Duke of Ancaster’s cattle is much injured; Bourn;-here it’s ravages are shocking, it being computed that 700l. will not repair the damage done to the houses alone; Sleaford also sustained considerable injury.”

The Stamford Mercury 9 May, 1800.

The Imperial Chinese practice of cramping the feet of young girls to keep them small died out in the early 20th century, but was it any worse that other nations’ customs such as tattooing, or compression of the waist for the sake of fashion?

“The most unaccountable species of taste is that mutilation of the women’s feet, for which the Chinese are so remarkable.  Of the origin of this custom there is no very distinct account, except that it took place about the close of the Tang dynasty, or the end of the ninth century of our era.  The Tartare have had the good sense not to adopt this artificial deformity, and their ladies wear a shoe like that of the men, except that is has a white sole of still greater thickness.  As it would seem next to impossible to refer to any notions of physical beauty, however arbitrary, such shocking mutilation as that produced by the cramping of the foot in early childhood, it may be partly ascribed to the principle which dictates the fashion of long nails.  The idea conveyed by these is exemption from labour;  and, as small feet make cripples of women, it is fair to conclude that the idea of gentility which they convey arises from a similar association.  That appearance of helplessness which is induced by the mutilation, they admire extremely, notwithstanding its very unusual concomitant of sickliness; and the tottering gait of the poor women, as they hobble along upon the heel of the foot, they compare to the waving of a willow agitated by the breeze.   We may add that this odious custom extends lower down in the scale of society than might have been expected from its disabling effect upon those who have to labour for their subsistence.  If the custom was first imposed by the tyranny of the men, the women are fully revenged in the diminution of their charms and domestic usefulness.  In no instances have the folly and childishness of a large portion of mankind been more strikingly displayed than in those various, and occasionally very opposite, modes in which they have departed from the standard of nature, and sought distinction even in deformity.  Thus, while one race of people crushed the feet of its children, another flattens their heads between two boards; and while we in Europe admire the natural whiteness of the teeth, the Malays file off the enamel and dye them black, all for the all-sufficient reason that dogs’ teeth are white!  A New Zealand chief has his distinctive cost of arms emblazoned on the skin of his face, as well as his limbs; and an Esquimaux is nothing if he have not bits of stone stuffed through a hole in his cheek.  Quite as absurd, and still more mischievous, is the infatuation which, among some Europeans, attached beauty to that modification of the human figure which, resembles the wasp, and compresses the waist until the very ribs have been distorted, and the functions of the vital organs irreparably disordered. – Davis’s Chinese.”

The Stamford Mercury, 28^th August, 1840