The first sub-acqueous tunnel in the world went from Rotherhithe to Wapping, and was designed and built by Marc Brunel*. It was completed in 1843. Strangely, it is now part of the London Overground rail system.
“It is said that all the shares of this undertaking are filled up, and Parliament has given leave to bring in a bill to carry it into effect. The attempt, therefore, will once more be made in good earnest, under the direction of an engineer named Brunel *. The plan proposed in this instance to be pursued is perfectly novel and original, and consists in the combination of ten or twelve iron frames, presenting in front an area equatl to the opening which is to be made for the body of the tunnel. Thus 30 or 36 men can operate in so many independent cells. These frames are moved forward in proportion to the space excavated, and the brick-work is then urged on, so as to leave as little of the surrounding earth as psssible unsupported or unprotected. In this way the tunnel is made to “drag its slow length along”# to its termination, which Mr Brunel looks to in about two years. – Should the attempt be successful, it will be a proud addition to our national works, and the only structure of its kind in the world.”
The Stamford Mercury, 21st May, 1824.
*Father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
# The quotation is from ‘An Essay on Criticism Part 2’, by Alexander Pope: “A needless alexandrine ends the song, That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along.”
We have seen several accounts of mermaid -sighting and here is a second one from the emerald isle. It is thought that manatees were mistaken for them, but those animals don’t resemble the description given below.
“The following article appears in the Drogheda Journal of the 26th ult.:-‘The declaration of George Hoey, parish clerk of Termon-fechin, in the county of Louth, and of Owen Maguire and Patrick Taaffe, of the said parish, farmers, states that on Wednesday the 18th August inst., as they were on the sea-shore, on the lands of Meagh’s farm, in the said parish, about half-past three in the afternoon, the tide being nearly in, they saw a mermaid (as they believe from having seen it described in books), of the full human size, swimming in the sea and directing its course towards the river Boyne – that it was only about fifteen perches from them – that they and several other persons saw it quite plain, and that they could not be mistaken – that its body was remarkably white, with long arms, which it frequently used to drive away the sea-gulls which were hovering over it – that its hair was very dark, and that its tail, which it frequently showed when plunging, was of a dark colour, and shaped like the tail of a fish. The body of the animal, which from the size, was generally about three feet above the water. – They state that they saw it for more than a quarter of an hour, and when they were leaving the place, it was still about the surface of the water. We questioned the above-named persons on Saturday, relative to this phenomenon on our coast, and received such satisfactory answers as leave no doubt on our minds of its having been seen as stated.'”
A gamekeeper is dealt with by his adversaries to his misfortune. Initially he was searching for some unwelcome poachers on his employers land. Now, when it comes to poachers, the act is similiar to smuggling. The word poaching originates to putting something in a pouch. Poaching had been an offence since 1723 and was written down in law to protect the wealth of the landowners. With a history of many poachers lurking around this time in society, there is no surprise that the gamekeeper had an incline to go and investigate in order to protect the land. Instead he found himself caught up in a struggle with potential trespassers, which left him in a difficult spot for some time. His rescuers seemed to think a rabbit was capable of causing his capture, moreover that said rabbit would attack them without further back-up!
“A gamekeeper at Castleton near Rochdale, suspecting some poachers were on the estate, went in search of them. He had not gone over many fields before he came in contact with two men, whom he charged with an intention of stealing game. The men not relishing the accusation, or fearing the consequence of a trespass, seized the poor gamekeeper, stuffed him head and shoulders into a rabbit’s burrow, and drove a stake into the ground, between his legs, to prevent his escape, which effectively pinned him in. The poor fellow remained in that situation until noon the next day, when he was discovered by some Labourers, who naturally concluded that he had fallen victim to some animal which had endeavoured to draw him into its den, and, under this impression, repaired homeward to obtain more assistance, before they would attempt his rescue.”
Workmen at York Prison came upon some grusome remains of mortality when the earth sunk beneath them.
Clifford’s Tower
“On Tuesday the 25th ult. the Magistrates of the three ridings held a meeting at the castle of York, at which the subject of enlarging the county prison was again brought under consideration. – Several plans were presented, and all the architects agreed that, in order to make the requisite-improvements in the castle, it would be necessary to purchase some part of Mr Ward’s property, in which the Tower stands. No step was, however, taken but the decision was again postponed. In the mean time the work of excavation under the Tower is being proceeded with, and since the above meeting, as the workmen were employed thirty-two yards from the opening of the aperture, and thirteen yards below the surface of the ground, the earth sunk with them three yards. By this alarming circumstance a most interesting discovery has been made. The earth having been cleared away, several bones and skulls were discovered – the labourers found themselves mining in an ancient cemetary, where the mouldering remains of mortality were scattered around them, and where trophies of triumphant death had been hid many ages. – In raising one of the skulls, and placing a candle near it, a trifling explosion was occasioned by the fixed air which it contained, to the surprise of those who were present. There were also found pieces of half-decayed wood, which had been neatly fastened together with brass rivets, and with oakum* placed between, but whether they were parts of a victor’s chariot, or of a victim’s coffin, we cannot state. The ramains of mortality were mixed with the bones of animals, small branches of trees or bushes, and a sort of earth, which from its appearance, &c. seems to be the decomposed particles of former living subjects. The above were, however, soon cleared away, and below them were found a thick bed of ashes, charcoal, and several pieces of half-consumed wood.” – York Paper.
The Stamford Mercury, 4th June, 1824.
*oakum – tarred flax fibres, used to seal gaps, generally used in ship-building.
Brunel’s great iron ship, the ss Great Britain, then the largest in the world, was launched in 1843. She had a long and varied career: Passenger liner between Britain and the U.S.A, clipper delivering emigrants to Australia, troop ship (Crimean War and Indian Mutiny), cargo ship, and coal store. She returned to Britain in 1970 and serves as a museum in her retirement at Bristol.
“The Great Britain arrives at Cowes on Saturday, having made the passage from the mouth of the Thames in fourteen hours. Previous to getting the ship under weigh, an interesting experiment was made to sink one of the life-boats. It was lowered into the water, and the valves so arranged as to give free ingress and egress to the water. To fill her more rapidly, a number of sailors were sent into her with buckets, and she was soon filled up to that height at which the water flowed out as fast as it was baled in. About thirty men were sent into her to stand on the thwarts, when from the height she still floated out of the water it was very evident that she could, when full of water, sustain from 50 to 60 persons without the probability of her sinking. THe Great Britain is provided with four such boats, two on each quarter, and with one very large similar life-boat on deck, capable of carrying 140 people, besides two wooden loats of 16 each. In all she has boat room for 380 persons.”
The ‘gin and water’ brigade were scared out of their wits when a ‘comedian’ threatened them with a pistol at a tavern in Bloomsbury.
“A jolly sort of gentleman, who absorbed at least a tea-spoonful of scotch snuff every minute, and very pompously and syllabiatically, as it were, gave his name John – Stephen – Ward – was charged at Bow-street office on Monday with having frightened every body out of their wits, at the Orange-tree Tavern, Bloomsbury-place, and also taking a pistol from his pocket, declared he would shoot any man who might dareto treat him with disrespect ! There sere several Sunday gentlemen peaceably sipping their gin and water there at the moment, and they were so astonished at the war-like tone of this threat, and the lofty bearing of the threatener, that they deserted their gin and water, and made the best of their way out of the room. Mr. John – Stephen – Ward was graciously pleased to construe their retreat as an act of disrespect; and, agreeably to his threat in that case already made and provided, he sallied forth after them, pistol in hand, to inflict the punishment due. Some of them rushed at once out of the house, but others took refuge in the tap-room – hiding themselves under tables, in clock-cases &c., whilst Mr.-John -Stephen – Ward roved round the room in quest of them (like a lion in his den), and exclaiming continually, ‘Come on, ye cowards! – ye were born in fear, thought ye were got in – England!’ The comely landlady shut herself up in her bar and called for help though the keyhole; the pot-boys anc scullions scampered up stairs into the garret; the gin and water gentlemen trembled in their hiding places; one of them ‘was so frightened that you might have knocked him down with a straw;’ and all was breathless and perspiring terror, when, as good luck would have it – a party of the Bow-street p[atrol, going their rounds by the door, hear several strange noised issuing from the interior of the house, and, instantly going in, they found things in the state above-mentioned. But the ~Bow-street patrol are not so easily terrified` at the sight of a pistol as some people, and one of them disamred Mr. John – Stephen – Ward, in the twinkling of a truncheon; and then it was discovered that the dealy weapon was – not chardged” – neither had it any lock! and these things haveing been fully ascertained, the gin and water gentlemen emerged from their concealment. Mr. John – Stephen – Ward, however, though disarmed was still unquelled, and thundered out the anger of this heart with impetuous volubility, till at length his valour so far got the better of this judgement, that he struck Amsden, the patrol, on the head, and there his achievements ended, for in the next minute, almost, he was under lock and key, in that comfortless cooling-place called a watch-house. – This was the substance of the complaint against him; and, when it was ended, he desired to be heard in his defence; but the poor gentleman was so tipsy that he could not make any, and the Magistrate ordered that he should find bail for the assault.
After the turnkey had removed him, several persons of respectable appearance came forward, and spoke of him as a gentleman of great respectability. They said he was a comedian belonging to the Haymarket company, and that in general he conducted himself with strict propriety, but within these few days he had taken to drinking excessively, and they were of the opinion that something was preying upon his mind. – The Magistrate directed that every species of liquid, except pure water, should be kept from him whilst he remained in custody, and recommended the gentleman to apprise the manager of the theatre of his situation.
The bodies of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were re-interred in the Basilica of St. Denis and the Bourbons were restored for a while, following the fall of Napoleon in 1814.
‘RE-INTERMENT OF THE BODIES OF LOUIS XVI. AND MARIE ANTOINETTE.
“Paris, Jan. 21.–To-day, at six in the morning, the different regiments of the garrison of Paris were on foot. At seven they occupied the posts assigned to them. The mourning coaches, and the funeral car destined to receive the remains of the King and Queen arrived between seven and eight at the cemetery of the Magdalen. Monsieur, and the Princes his sons, arrived at eight precisely, in the same carriage, and were immediately followed by the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Bourbon. Every thing being in readiness for the august though melancholy ceremony, the two leaden coffins were placed on the funeral car, and the procession commenced. It was led by several Generals, with a detachment of light horse, and was followed by numerous bodies of military ; next came the Ministers, Grand Dignitaries of the Kingdom, Bishops and other ecclesiastics, and the chief officers of the palace, to which succeeded the carriages of the Princes of the Blood ; Monsieur, the Duke of Angouleme, and Duke of Berri, were in the mournful procession. Last came the funeral car, on which all eyes were fixed, and which contained the object of our eternal regret and repentance. The car was surrounded by a detachment of the Swiss. On the right and left marched a long line of poor of both sexes, bearing torches. Numerous detachments of the body guards closed the whole. Cannon were fired at intervals. At the gate of St. Denis the clergy were in waiting for the procession, which arrived at mid-day. The great gate of St. Denis was hung with black, and exhibited a simple and touching Latin inscription, in large characters.–The procession advanced towards the church. The coffins being taken down from the car, were placed under a catafalque, surmounted by a royal mantle and crown, surrounded by wax lights. The church was entirely hung with black, and at intervals were suspended the arms of France, surrounded with palms in silver. The nave and the gallery were filled with a crowd of persons in mourning.–Soult and Oudinot held the pall over the coffin of Louis ; the Presidents, Barthelemy and Laine, the pall over the coffin of the Queen.–At two o’clock the Bishop of Troyes delivered the funeral oration. The ceremony, during the whole of which minute guns were fired, was terminated at half-past four. The weather was cold and cloudy, but the assemblage of the inhabitants of the capital was immense all the way from Paris to St. Denis : no noise, not a word disturbed this religious ceremony ; all appeared impressed with the feelings it was calculated to excite.
“It is intended that a form of prayer shall be introduced into the French Liturgy, in commemoration of the martyrdom of Louis XVI., similar in principle to that read in the English Churches for the martyrdom of Charles I.
“A celebration of the day on which Louis XVI. lost his life, was ordered by the Emperor of Austria, at the request of Talleyrand, to take place at Vienna, on the 21st January, the Emperor and his family intending to assist in it. The other Sovereigns it was likewise thought would be present.”–Moniteur.‘
Louis XVI’s body was supposed to be buried in a mass grave, covered in quick-lime, according to Decree of the National Convention, and dissolved so that no trace of him was left on earth. The exact spot of his burial was also supposed to be unknown but the Curé of La Madeleine knew exactly where Louis was buried and waited until the fall of Napoleon to reveal all. Only, was it Louis XVI’s body or was it really Robespierre’s that was exhumed?
‘Twenty-two years have elapsed since the mild and martyred Louis XVI. perished upon a scaffold : Saturday last was the anniversary of his execution. It has been generally believed that Louis XVI. after his murder, was thrown into a grave, and his body consumed by quick-lime ; that the precise place of his interment could not be pointed out, and “not a stone tells where he lies.” But this is not the fact. In the Rue d’Anjou St. Honore, not far from the Madeleine, at Paris, there is a small nook, which escaped the notice of the enemies of religion and humanity, and which will now be revered as the ancients revered places that had been struck by lightning. In this nook are buried Louis XVI. and his Queen.
On the 21st January, 1793, the body of the martyr was conveyed, without pomp or escort, to the church-yard of the Rue d’Anjou. A Decree of the Convention ordered a quantity of quick-lime to be thrown into the grave, in order that there might remain no trace upon earth of the King. The silence of terror reigned round the grave–no one dared approach it. Humanity hid the tears she shed, and turned away her eyes–Religion alone braved every danger. In the night of the 21st January, the Cure of la Madeleine, with his Vicars, came to say over the body the prayers for the dead, and sprinkle the grave with holy water. All these facts are attested by M. Descloseaux, who is still living.
In the September of the same year, Marie Antoinette, condemned by the Revolutionary Tribunal of Paris, intreated her butchers to deposit her body near Louis XVI. This demand was granted ; for the prayers of the dying have an ascendancy over the hearts even of barbarians ! The remains of Maria Antoinette were deposited in a grave near that of her husband. In digging the grave for the Queen, it was found that the coffin of Louis XVI. was entire, and that the quick-lime had not consumed the mortal remains of the august victim.
Twenty-two years have elapsed since Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. have reposed in the church-yard of the Rue d’Anjou–no monument has been erected to them–the God of the Seasons has alone taken care of the royal tombs which man had abandoned : the humble patica, the modest forget-me-not, a few other plants, and grass, cover the bodies of a powerful Monarch and of a Queen who formed the charm and ornament of France.
The tomb of Louis XVI. is placed in an angle of the wall the north of the church-yard ; a few paces further is a vast grave, in which were buried pell-mell the Swiss and French who perished on the 10th of August.
And now, one naturally asks, where rest the ashes of Madame Elizabeth, the sister of Louis XVI. and of the hapless orphan Louis XVII. who died in the prison of the Temple? The infant Monarch, who lived a moment but to suffer, is lost in the crowd of dead : no one can point out the place of his interment. Madame Elizabeth, whom nothing could separate from her brother in life, does not rest by his side. She was buried at Mousseau.
A few days after the King of Prussia entered Paris, he visited and knelt by the grave of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette ; and the spot is shewn to all where the yet mourning Duchess of Angouleme threw herself on her knees, to bathe with her tears the sod that covers the unconscious bones of her murdered parents.’
The Marriage de Figaro had caused a sensation written, as it was at a time of revolution. Its subject matter – of servants rising up and outwitting their masters – outraged the aristocracy. This caused the play to be banned in many cities, including Vienna, where Mozart was based at the court of Emperor Joseph II.
However, one performance proved to be more outrageous. The cast had to remain stoical and keep going until the bitter end. Unfortunately, being about a barber (Figaro), among the properties was a razor, put to grusome use by one of the actors.
‘German phlegm.–On the representation of the Marriage de Figaro, at the Cassel Theatre, on the 2d of March, M. Pistor, who performed the part of Bartolo, varied the accustomed action of the piece by cutting his throat with a razor, while standing before a glass, without evincing any extraordinary previous emotion to lead to a suspicion of his dreadful intention. The other performers do not seem to have been too violently affected by the event, as, without any interruption to the scene, another person was substituted for the deceased, and at the close of the performance apologized for M. Pistor’s absence, on the score of his having killed himself !’
Quite different to our piece about the paupers of Stamford, this is the festive season as enjoyed by the general public, tradesmen and the gentry, including the annual Christmas Ball.
“M.U.I.O.F.Spalding. THe ANNUAL BALL, in aid of the widows’ánd orphans’ fund of the Welland Lodge, will take place on Wednesday, the 27th inst., in the Lodge Room at the VINE INN. Tickets 2s each may be had at the Bar.
MARKET DEEPING TRADESMAN’s BALL
THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BALL will be held in the Large Room at the Black Horse Inn, on Thursday 28th December inst. Tickets 2s 6d each. – Dancing to commence at 8 o’ clock. Market Deeping, Dec 20, 2843.
SIX BELLS INN, BOURN
THE ANNUAL BALL and CARD ASSEMBLEY will take place on Tuesday, January 2d, 1844. Dancing to commence at 8 o’clock. Tickets, 2s 6d each, to be had at the Bar.
GRANTHAM’S NEW-YEAR’s BALL
That the preparations for the above BALL may not interfere with Sunday’s Duties, the Patrons, Mrs. Manners and the Rev. Wm. Potchett, have appointed it to take place, with the permission of the Mayor , in the Guildhall, Grantham, on Tuesday the Second of January, 1844.
As the necessities of the objects of this Charity, viz., Mr. Thos. Wilson and the ill-paid Mistress of Hurst’s Charity School, remain unabated, it is hoped that the Charity will continue to receive the liberal support of the Town and Neighbourhood; and the Belvoir Band has been engaged, for the gratification of those whose good taste leads them to take pleasure in the innocent, graceful, and exhilarating exercise of dancing.
The Company will assemble at Half past Eight, and Dancing will commence at Nine o’clock precisely.”
“LE BEAU MONDE-from communication to the London Papers. The Duke of Rutland, whose health has during the last week considerably improved, is surrounded by a family circle at Belvoir Castle.
The Duke and Duchess of St. Alban’s have been passing the Christmas at Redbourn-hall, near Brigg. Yesterday (Thursday) the Earl of Yarborough’s hounds met at the hall.
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford have been entertaining at Woburn Abbey, during the week, the Duke of Richmond and Lady Caroline Lennox, Earl and Countess of Chesterfiled, Hon. Col, and Mrs. Anson, Mr. and Lady Caroline Sandford, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, &c. Lord and Lady John Russell have arrived at Woburn, from Minto House.
Lord Wm.Russell, formerly Ambassador to the Court of Berlin, arrived in town at the close of last week from the Continent, to be present at the approaching alliance of his son, Mr. Francis Hastings Russell, with Lady Elizabeth Sackville West, eldest daughter of the Lord Chamberlain, Earl Delawarr.
The Earl of Wilton is entertaining a party of sporting friends at Egerton Lodge, Melton Mowbray, where his lordship and family will pass the recess.
The Dowager Countess of Leicester and Mr. Ellice are passing the Christmas at Naples, where his Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, attended by the Hon. Capt. Mcdonald, has arrived from Corfu, onb a short tour of the Two Sicilies.
Lord and Lady Newark are wintering in the south of Europe.
The Countess of Dysart and Lord Huntingtower have left town for Bath.”
