Author: secretary

It appears the early Victorians loved to hear about blood and gore. This report of a horrendous murder in Easton-on-the Hill revels in the details of the victim’s wounds.

“Murder at Easton, near Stamford. – On Tuesday morning last, about four o’clock, a shocking murder was perpetrated on the person of Elizabeth Longfoot, a maiden lady, residing in her own house, near the church in the above village. The unfortunate victim’s mother died about twelve months ago, since which time she has lived alone, notwithstanding she laboured under an aberration of mind, in which state she would frequently wander about the village at untimely hours. It was on her return from one of these wanderings that the unfortunate creature met her fate. The wretches who imbrued their hands in her blood appear to have entered the house in her absence, at the kitchen window, the centre part of which they had broken and opened, but finding a strong iron bar down the middle, which prevented their ingress, they took out the whole side of the window, and so effected an entrance. They then procured a bunch of keys belonging to the poor woman and left in the house, and proceeded to ransack all the drawers in search of treasure. From the penurious habits and a small independent property possessed by the deceased, it was said she had money secreted in the house. Whilst the search was going on, it would appear she returned home, and was knocked down with a bludgeon just as she passed the outer gate: her body was then dragged within the door of her house, where on Tuesday morning she was found weltering in her gore, quite dead. The blood had flowed profusely where she fell, and on each side of the body appeared the imprint of a man’s knee in corduroy breeches, who had hastened her death by gripping her throat. The wound on the left temple was not above half an inch in length, but the blood had flowed so freely as to leave a pool under her head and completely saturate and fill her bonnet and cap. In consequence of three persons being already apprehended on suspicion of having committed the murder, and warrant being issued for the apprehension of others, it was deemed essential to the ends of justice not to report the evidence taken on the inquest, which was held at the Bell Inn at Easton on Wednesday, before Thos. Marshall, Gent. of Kettering, a coroner for Northamptonshire, but we were able to gather the following particulars:- Henry Mitchell and Samuel Mitchell, two young men residing nearly opposite Mrs. Longfoot’s house, heard about four o’clock in the morning the cry of ‘murder’ three times repeated by the deceased, and the latter distinctly heard what he is now convinced was the fatal blow; but they took no notice of it, as they had been long accustomed to hear her make similar noises during the night. Two brothers named Thompson, residing a little higher up the hill in the village, state that they heard her come home about four o’clock, and when she arrived at her gate she exclaimed ‘You villains, I’ll swear my life against you in the morning;’ and instantly she cried out ‘Murder, murder, murder.’ On this they got up and came into the street, where they stood for some time listening, and saw a light carried about the rooms: they advanced to the house, and just as they got to the gate, the door was shut to and locked, as they supposed by the deceased, on which they went away. – On the day of the murder, the Rev. C. Atlay and Dr. Hopkinson, magistrates for Northamptonshire, investigated all the circumstances then brought to light, and also examined several witnesses, which led to the apprehension of three brothers named Archer, residents in Easton, William a shoemaker, and John and James labourers, who were lodged in Stamford gaol on Tuesday night for further examination. On a post-mortem examination of the body by M. W. Jackson, Esq. on Wednesday, the marks of the fingers of the murderer on the neck of the deceased were distinctly observed, and it is believed that her death ensued from strangulation: her age was 54: the brain was in a healthy and perfect state, except as to one part, which is supposed to have occasioned her insanity. The inquest was adjourned by coroner till Tuesday the 13th Inst. Yesterday morning, a young man of Easton, named Andrew Porter, a baker was apprehended, and after examination before the magistrates, was committed to Oundle gaol for further examination t0-morrow at ten o’clock.”

The Stamford Mercury, 9th March, 1838.

We know smoking is horrible, but this diatribe looks at the possible effect on the lungs, as well as almost everything else!

“The propensity to smoking is declared by the physicians to be actually one of the most efficient causes of the German tendency to diseases of the lungs. In point of expense, its waste is enormous. In Hamburgh alone 50,000 boxes of cigars have been consumed in a year, each box costing about 3l. sterling: 150,000l. puffed into the air! And it is to be remembered, that even this is but a part of the expense; the cigar adorning the lip only of the better order, and even among those, only of the young; the mature generally abjuring this small vanity, and blowing away with the mighty Egyptian plague of frogs, is felt every where and in every thing. It poisons the streets, the clubs, and the coffee houses; furniture, clothes, equipage, person are redolent of the abomination. It makes even the dullness of the newspaper doubly narcotic; that napkin on the table, tells instantly that native hands have been over it; every eatable and drinkable, all that can be seen, felt, heard, or understood, is saturated with tobacco; the very air we breathe is but a conveyance for this poison into the lungs; and every man, woman and child, rapidly acquires the complexion of a boiled chicken. From the hour of their waking, if nine-tenths of the population can ever be said to be awake at all, to the hour of their lying down, which in innumerable instances the peasantry do in their clothes, the pipe is never out of their mouths; one mighty fumigation reigns, and human nature is smoke-dried buy tens of thousands of square miles. ~But if it be a crime to shorten life, or extinguish faculties, the authority of the chief German physiologists charges this custom with effecting both in a very remarkable degree. They compute that of twenty deaths of men between eighteen and thirty-five, ten originate in the waste of the constitution by smoking. The universal weakness of the eyes, which makes the Germans par excellence a spectacled nation, is probably attributed to the same cause of the general nervous debility. Tobacco burns out their blood, their teeth, their eyes, and their brains; turns their flesh into mummy, and their mind into metaphysics. – From a Journal of the Defence of Hamburgh in 1813.”

The Stamford Mercury, 30th November, 1832.

A very sad story about a father’s despair after his daughter received unwelcome attentions from the butler at Burghley House. There was some doubt about the fate of the butler, however.

“Attempt to violate a young female at Burghley – Suicide of the Father of the Girl. – On Saturday an inquest was held at the King’s Arms, Little St. James’s-street, London, before Mr. Higgs, touching the death of William Bowles, aged 63, coachman in the service of W. S. Poyntz, Esq., M.P., of the Albany. – Mr. Thos. Smith, of No. 16, North-mews, Mapleton-place, Burton-crescent, stated that the deceased, who was his brother-in-law, drove to his door in a hackney coach about eight o’clock on the preceding morning; he was accompanied by his daughter, a very interesting girl, who lived as upper nursemaid in the Marquis of Exeter’s mansion, Burghley, near Stamford. On getting out of the coach, the poor man stared wildly, and appeared as if labouring under the most heart-breaking anguish. On enquiring into the cause of his uneasiness, the deceased, with tears in his eyes, told him that the butler in the service of the Marquis had been taking the most improper liberties with his daughter, having tried every means which a villain could suggest to seduce her. He then added, with great emphasis, that if he knew where to find the villain who had attempted his daughter’s honour, he would blow out his brains with a pistol . Witness reasoned with him and he became a little more composed, and shortly afterwards he left witness’s house, leaving behind his daughter, whom he placed under his care, with strict injunctions to look well after her, as she was the darling of his heart and comfort of his age. On the following day he was greatly shocked on hearing that his unfortunate relative had hanged himself in a loft over his master’s stables, in Little St. James’s-street, and when found he was quite dead and cold. – In answer to questions from the coroner and jury, the witness said that the Marquis of Exeter had investigated the conduct of the butler, and feeling satisfied that he had behaved in the most brutal and improper manner towards the young woman in question, had dismissed him from his service. – Several witnesses stated that the deceased bore the most exemplary character, having been in Mr. Poyntz’s service for the last 36 years. Upon hearing of the ill-treatment which his daughter had experienced, he immediately repaired to Burghley-House and brought her away. Since that time he had been distracted, and had threatened vengeance against the butler. – The jury said they thought the Marquis of Exeter had acted properly in dismissing such a man from his service, although the punishment was far too light for such delinquency. – A verdict of temporary insanity was then recorded. – London Papers. – [We understand that the butler has not been dismissed: he returned to Burghley House on Friday, and still continues there.]”

The Stamford Mercury, 11th May, 1832.

A Miss Blackwell and her maid stoutly defended their home against a party of robbers, seeing them off with a salvo of shots.

“A few nights since a [pa]rty of ruffians, about seven or eight in number, attacked the house of Lieut. Blackwell, of Cookstown, near Ardee with the view of robbing it. Lieut. B. was on the continent a[t] the time (but has since returned), and the only persons in the house were his sister and a servant maid. It was near one o’clock, when Miss Blackwell was awakened by hearing persons attempting to force the door and windows: on her demanding what they wanted, they replied that they has a message from her brother. She desired them to deliver the message, as she would not open the door at that unseasonable hour. They threatened, if they were not admitted, they would break in the house and afterwards set it on fire, and accordingly they commenced a violent attack on both front and rear; but the house, which was very strong, having been recently built, resisted all their efforts. In the mean time, Miss B., fearing they might be successful, charged with some arms which were in the house: she then commenced firing out right and left, which so daunted the assailants that they decamped, after breaking a number of windows. They fired one shot into the house, the heroic protectress of which fired no less than six in return. It is conjectured that robbery, either of money or arms, was the object of the gang. – Droghera Journal.”

The Stamford Mercury , 22nd December, 1837.

Three or four years ago, we published a series of posts about Wife selling. The more we read these old newspapers, the more instances we find. Here’s another one!

“BUYING AND SELLING WIVES. – The London papers state that a disgusting and disgraceful scene happened in Smithfield market on Monday. A fellow led his wife by a halter, and gave her to a drover, desiring him to tie her up to the pens, and sell her to the best bidder. The woman, who did not appear to be above 25 years of age, and not bad-looking, suffered herself to be tied up very quietly. A crowd of persons soon gathered round, and a rather respectable man entered into a negociation with the drover for the purchase of the wife: after some higgling, she was knocked down for the sum of 10s. The money was paid, but the driver refused to release her except on the payment of 2s. as his commission for the sale which he had effected. Some confusion took place about the demand, but it was eventually paid, and she was released from the pens opposite the Half-Moon public-house, and delivered to her purchaser, who appeared highly pleased with his bargain. The parties adjourned to a neighbouring public-house, where the late husband spent the greater part of the money in brandy and water. – As a caution to persons who figure in scenes of this description, and for the instruction of Magistrates, who, from the frequency of such occurrences, must either be ignorant of negligent of their duty, we quote the following passage from a very useful popular digest of the laws, which is well known by the title of The Cabinet Lawyer:- ‘The Court of King’s Bench is the guardian of public morals, and has the judicial animadversion of offences against public decency and good behaviour. In that court an information was granted against a number of persons concerned iin assigning a young girl to a gentleman under pretence of learning music, but for the purpose of prostitution – 3 Bur., 1438. There is no doubt that the vulgar and brutal exhibition, too often tolerated, of a man selling his wife, and delivering her in a halter is a misdemeanours, both in the buyer and seller, punishable with fine and imprisonment, or by an endictment preferred at the assizes or quarter sessions.'”

The Stamford Mercury, 2nd March, 1832.

A new Rector’s ego and an inexperienced builder combined to produce the ruins of St. Michael’s church in Stamford.

“Early on Friday morning the 1st Inst., nearly the whole of the roof and body of St. Michael’s church in Stamford fell into a mass of ruins. the building had been for some time under the hands of masons who were employed to effect what it was hoped would be an improvement, by widening the span of the arched and diminishing the number of pillars, so as to admit of a better view and hearing of the clergyman by the congregation. In the course of this work, it was discovered that some of the pillars which were removed had given support to the tower of the church; and so great was the alarm which arose for the safety of that part of the edifice, that the contract, which had entered into with a young builder was suspended, and more experienced architects were called in. Their attention was immediately directed to shoring up and propping the tower: and this difficult job seemed to be nearly effected, when heavy raid unfortunately set in last week, and as part of the walls of the church, being uncovered, were exposed to the influence of the wet, at the time we have mentioned the whole of the roof and part of the parapets fell in, and the church is now a heap of ruins which it is dangerous to approach. To add to the calamity, the fall and wrench of the timbers of the roof have still further weakened the supports of the tower, which has in consequence declined from the perpendicular so considerably towards the south-east, and is so extensively cracked from the bottom to the top on both the south and east sides, that it is hourly expected to come down, and it is even feared that great mischief may by its fall be done to surrounding houses. – So extensive and unforeseen a consequence of meddling with the masonry of the church has perhaps rarely before occurred. The parish, on the suggestion of the newly-presented Rector (the Rev. Chas. Swan), had at first agreed to re-pew the church with a view to increase the number of sittings; and as this improvement would necessarily interrupt the performance of divine service for some months, the further suggestion of removing at the same time some masses on antient stone-work, and giving lightness to the body of the church, was entertained, and contracts were entered into for executing the whole of the work at an expense of about 650l. According to the present aspect of things, a charge of at least three thousand pounds will be incurred in restoring the church and the tower, every stone of which, it seems, must be taken down! – Dr. Goddard, the Archdeacon of Lincoln, has twice within these ten days visited Stamford on this business; and hopes are entertained that through his representation considerable assistance will be afforded to the parish, from the funds of the society in London for building and repairing churches and chapels; but still a frightful amount of charge will remain to be defrayed by a small parish, – and upon some Dissenters who are assessed for considerable property within it the burthen will be particularly had. – The accident is one of so extraordinary a nature that we humbly think a public subscription might with propriety be solicited; and we have pleasure in stating that this view of the case is countenanced by the spontaneous liberality of two gentlemen, who have, by notes addressed to a parishioner, signified their desire to contribute 5l. each should a subscription be formed: those benevolent individuals are, the Rev. H Mortlock, of Morcott, Rutland, and W. L. Hopkinson, Esq. M.D., of St. George’s parish, Stamford.”

The Stamford Mercury, 8th June, 1832.

This letter to the Editor proposes the use of some land (presumably on the north side of what is now Uffington Road) for use as a new burial ground for victims of contagious diseases. He choses not to give his name, perhaps because of his poor grammar! Stamford Cemetery was opened in 1855.

“Burial Ground at Stamford,

And other Benefactions to the Town.

Mr. Editor, – The Board of Health* in Stamford have (sic) lately called the attention of the town to the crowded state of the church-yard, and the necessity of providing a burial-ground without the town for the interment of persons who may die of contagious disease. I beg leave to point out an ample site which through the beneficence of an early patron of the town was provided as a place of sepulture; and which, though it is has not been for some centuries resorted to as such, but has latterly been used as a stack-yard and as feeding pasture, is nevertheless, there is every reason to believe, consecrated ground, and is rightly available to the town for the purpose contemplated by the Board of Health. The ground to which I refer is situation at the East end of Stamford, and is the tongue of land which extends, in three small inclosures, on the North side of the turnpike road leading from the town to the Infirmary. These inclosures (one used as a stack-yard) are now in the occupation of Mr. Alderman Francis Simpson, and are rented by him of the Rector of St. Michael’s church; but it is indisputable that they form the piece of land which, in the reign of King John, was given to Earl Warren to the town as a burial-ground; and being ground used or available for such purpose, they have been properly entered in the Ecclesiastical Terrier as part of the possessions of the Rectory, (the Clergyman having a right to the herbage of church-yards), but they are really the property of the parish. This gift is noticed by all the historians of the town, – Butcher, Peck, Howgrave, Harrod, and Blore. In Harrod’s History of Stamford, information on this subject will be found in pages 59 and 86: and from Howgrave’s history I copy the following useful account of the above and many other gifts to the town.

Your’s(sic), AN INHABITANT.”

The Stamford Mercury, 1st June, 1832.

*The Board of Health was not introduced until the Public Health Act 1848, so he must be referring to a local body.

Homeopathy has been around a long time – it was proposed by Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. Opinions vary, but seem to go in cycles. It became popular in the 19th century, but attracted criticism, too. There was a revival in the 20th century, but NHS funding ceased in 2017.

“The German papers give an amusing account of the successful dexterity of a young author at Berlin, who, by the skillful management of this powers of reasoning, contrived to carry off two prizes which had been offered by learned bodies for the best essays upon the opposite sides of the same question. The subject in contention was that of what is called the homeopathic system in medicine – a subject upon which the medial men very generally, throughout the continent, appear now to be fairly at loggerheads. The faculty of medicine at Riga, it seems, lately offered a prize of 100 ducats for the best treatise upon, and in favour of, the system in question. The faculty of medicine at St. Petersburgh, on the other hand, and about the same time, offered a prize of 60 golden Fredericks for the strongest proofs that it was a delusion. Under these circumstances a smart young surgeon at Berlin stepped forward, and, incognito to both, by treating his subjects to suit their different tastes, succeeded in assuring the Doctors of Riga that homeopathy was not a system of quackery, and of convincing those of St. Petersburgh that it was. As the candidates’ essays were anonymous, and little direct intercourse exists between the two societies, it was of course not known that the favourite reasoner cut with a two-edged sword; but, now that the discovery had been made, it has subjected those learned Doctors to a very general banter throughout Germany.”

The Stamford Mercury, 13th October, 1837.

A husband finds his way out of an unhappy marriage to an officious wife . It’s a funny story but quite how true it is, I’ll leave to you to decide. (Note the eighteenth century custom of capitalising the initial letters of the nouns.)

“An odd Accident happened last Week in Bedfordshire, about three Miles from Leighton, of the Truth of which we are well assured, viz.

A Man lately married, was so unhappy in his Bargain, that in a short time after he swore to his Wife, he would drown himself in a neighbouring Pond, in a Fortnight; which Time he thought was necessary to make his Peace with God. The Day fixed being come, the Man took no Notice of it; upon which his Wife officiously reminded him of his Resolution. To which he answered, that, upon second Thoughts, he could not drown himself, because that was Self-Murder: but if that she would throw, or push him in, he would stand on the Brink of the Pond, which accordingly he did; the Woman ran at him with all her Force, but he, flipping a little on one Side, in fell his Wife, and was drowned instantly. She was afterwards taken out and buried, to the no small Admiration of the Villages round about.”

The Stamford Mercury, 3rd January, 1745.

Following last week’s post, we found this item which explains that ventriloquism may have been the means by which the trick was achieved.

“The Double-sighted phenomenon. – We lately copied, from a London paper, a paragraph giving an account of a boy now exhibiting, who, it was stated, described the legend, &c. on a piece of coin, although his back was turned to it, and performed several other similar wonders. A correspondent suggests that then whole, in all probability, is a juggle, and that the deceit is accomplished by the father of the boy being a ventriloquist, and that the answers were given by him in such a way as to cause it to be believed that they came from the boy. This solution (which, we observe, has also been given in a London journal), is extremely probable. We have, however, never ourselves had the good fortune to hear any professor of ventriloquism so expert in his art as to be able to deceive a large body of persons in the way stated. It is, nevertheless, the most reasonable mode of accounting for the wonder in question.”

The Stamford Mercury, 2 December, 1831.