Author: Volunteers

A few weeks ago we brought you the first of an occasional series of articles about wife-selling from the volumes of the Stamford Mercury.  Here are two further tales.

“At Billingboro’ last week occurred, amongst other improving subjects of conversation in that fashionable village, one of those connubial transfers which are said (untruly) not to be uncommon in London–the sale of a wife!  In the metropolis, the stock so to be put up, it is added, is drawn to Smithfield with a halter round her neck.  There was no recommendation of a good halter, we understand, in the lot at Billingboro’, but still, from the assemblage of a large company in the public street, the lady fetched one pound one [shilling] to her husband, who immediately delivered her to the buyer; and she has since been constantly and openly living with the man to whom she was so transferred.  All this has occurred (to use the language of the city declaimers) “in the nineteenth century !”–It is recommended to us to accompany the notice of so flagrant a transaction with the censure which the outrage on public decorum requires; and we are sorry to learn that there are some people so extremely ignorant as to believe that a sale of this kind will dissolve the marriage contract, and leave the man or the wife at liberty  to enter into a new matrimonial connection !  An application on the subject was actually made in this case to a neighbouring magistrate, who assured the parties of the total groundlessness of their notion, and that the husband was for life bound to support the wife and all the children that she had or might have; his ridiculous proceeding of selling his wife, as it was called, was one, therefore, that relieved him from no obligation, but added to his former burthens the disgrace and infamy of a connivance at his wife’s prostitution !”

Stamford Mercury, 30 August 1816.

“The wife of Henry Frost, weaver, of Hull, some time since sold to one William Whiting, for the small sum of one shilling and sixpence, has returned to her husband, the purchaser having given him two guineas to take her back ! !”

Stamford Mercury, 22nd June 1821.

Two hundred years ago the misuse of charity funds caused public concern. The Court of Chancery provided remedies not obtainable in the common-law courts.

“It transpired in the Court of Chancery on Saturday, that there are in the kingdom upwards of 50,000 charities, of the annual value of about two millions, not above one quarter of which is properly applied.  The public commissioners for investigating charities have reported upon 20,000, and their expenses already exceed 200,000l.  Of these 20,000 charities, two-thirds are awaiting decision, and the law costs exceed 10,000l.  In the case of a charity established for the redemption of slaves on the coast of Barbary, an information having been filed, and a poor sailor made a relator, the result has been, that the trustees of the charity have admitted having a sum of 100,000l. in their hands, and now consent to bow to the decision of the court.–It will be remembered that the practical usefulness of the commissioners of charities was dreadfully frittered away by some alarmed persons procuring the investigation to be restricted to charities for which there were not known ‘Visitors.’  It is believed that, had the powers of the commissioners not been so shamefully confined, ten times the amount of benefit would have resulted from their labours, and great and wicked perversions would have been corrected that now stand over for another day of account.”

Stamford Mercury, 2nd April 1830.

During the war, Churchill was convinced that fifth columnists were at work in Britain.  The UK population had to be on the alert for escaped Nazi prisoners, spies, or anyone with a German accent, but when an escapee speaks fluent English how do you recognise him ?

“ARRESTED A NAZI

SON OF KETTON COUPLE

The recent recapture of an escaped German prisoner by the conductor of a Sheffield ‘bus has a local interest, for the conductor was Mr. Colin Spittle, a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Spittle, of Ketton.

Mr. Spittle was the conductor on one of the Sheffield Corporation ‘buses when it was boarded by a young man, about 25 years of age, who wore a check cap and a sports coat and flannels, and carried a small attaché case.  He asked for his ticket in fluent English and handed over a florin, but when he received it from Mr. Spittle he clicked his heels sharply, apparently from force of habit.

Mr Spittle’s suspicions were aroused, but he appeared to take no notice, although he told the driver to stop when he saw a policeman.

When this was done, the young man could not produce an identity card and tried to escape, but finally confessed to being a Nazi.  His attaché case contained chocolate !

Mr. Spittle has received a letter of congratulation from the Corporation transport department.”

Stamford Mercury, 31st January 1941.

“OAKHAM TURNPIKE-ROAD.

Notice is hereby given,

That a SPECIAL MEETING of the TRUSTEES appointed for carrying into execution an Act of Parliament passed in the 35th year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Third, intituled, “An Act for repairing, altering, and improving the road leading from the Great North Road in the town of Stamford, and county of Lincoln, through the town of Oakham, to the Great North Road aforesaid at or near a house called the Cross Guns, in the parish of Greetham, in the county of Rutland ;” and also a certain  other Act of Parliament made and passed in the 57th year of the reign of his said late Majesty, for continuing and amending the first-mentioned Act, will be holden at the CROWN INN at OAKHAM aforesaid, on SATURDAY the 15th MAY next, at 11 o’clock in the forenoon, to take into consideration the propriety of altering the present Surveyor’s Salary, or of appointing a fresh Surveyor in his stead, and to proceed to such appointment if it shall be so determined, and for such other purposes relating thereto as may then be deemed necessary.–By order,

Wm. ADES, Clerk to the said Trustees.

Oakham, April, 1830

N.B. All persons wishing for the above office must send in their names and addresses, with references as to character and qualification, to the Clerk to the Trustees.”

Stamford Mercury, 23rd April 1830.

During the 19th century wife-selling was seen by some as a mutually agreeable way of dissolving a dysfunctional marriage, whilst for others it was a social disgrace.

The first article of a man selling his wife is a true ‘Mercuriosity’ because it involves a certain Thomas Hardy who buys a wife from Thomas Hand in 1786.  Thomas Hardy, the author, had clearly been doing research on wife-selling because in The Mayor of Casterbridge he writes of Susan Henchard, “But she was by no means the first or last peasant woman who had religiously adhered to her purchaser, as too many rural records show.”  Did the author ever learn that his namesake bought a wife in this way ?

“On Monday the 12th instant Thomas Hand, a taylor at Spalding in this county, sitting at the pied calf alehouse, expressed some words to the company, of an intention he had to sell his wife, if the man would buy her, and without any persuasion went out, and returned with Thomas Hardy, a cordwainer of the same place.  They both sat down very friendly, and drank a pint or two of ale, when they began to talk of a bargain, and soon agreed for Elizabeth the wife of Hand, to Hardy, for five shillings, to be delivered in a halter in the presence of the company, provided the contract met the approbation of the wife.  Hardy, the purchaser went out, and soon returned with the woman, and the three parties retired into a private room and conversed upon the subject, and very composedly agreed in opinions.  Three witnesses were called in, a halter sent for , which Hand took and put upon her, and delivered her to Hardy, pronouncing the following words: “I now my dear, deliver you into the hands of Thomas Hardy, praying the blessings of God to attend you both, with all happiness.”–Hardy replied, “I now my dear, receive you with the blessings of God, praying for happiness,” &c. took off the halter, saying,”Come my dear, I receive you with a kiss; and you, Hand, shall have a kiss at parting;” which was done with great fortitude on all sides: Hand and Hardy both desired a written memorandum of the agreement, which was given to each, and signed by three witnesses.  A dinner was ordered by the two parties for nine persons then present, and the lady dined at the head of the table with great composure, between Buckram and Wax.  After dinner the lady retired, and the remainder of the day was spent with harmony and mirth, agreeable to all parties.”

Stamford Mercury, 23rd June, 1786.

The article below takes place in the George Inn, Stamford in 1829.  Thomas Hardy’s notebook* confirms that this article inspired his account of the sale of Susan Henchard to Richard Newson in The Mayor of Casterbridge.

“The disgraceful scene of a fellow’s selling and delivering his wife was exhibited in Stamford market on Friday last.  The price obtained was four shillings!  Robert Phillips, under-ostler at the George inn, was the seller, and a man named Wm. Brown, a labourer, of Oakham, was the purchaser.  They were permitted to retire from the market-hill without molestation!”

*”Sale of wife – at Stamford – fellow sold her “for
2/- wet and 2/- dry – delivered her to the
purchaser on the market hill in a halter after wh.
the trio retired to a p. House to quaff the heavy
wet.”

Stamford Mercury, 25th September, 1829.

Two hundred years ago surgery was a terrifying prospect, often performed on the kitchen table.  This account of the removal of a tumour describes the operation as ‘tedious, difficult, and terrible’.  Although morphine had been discovered in 1805, it wasn’t in general use until the middle of the century.

“EXTRAORDINARY SURGICAL OPERATION.-On Friday the 22d ult. an encysted tumour was removed from the body of Hannah Hicks, of Dembleby, by Mr. Bisill, of Sleaford, the dimensions of which, before the operation, were as follow :-Its length, measured on the surface of the tumour, one foot three inches ; its breadth, one foot two inches ; and its circumference at the base, two feet six inches.  The tumour was situated on the back, extending from the right breast, over the lower half of the shoulder-blade, to the spine, and passing down by the side of it, to the loins.  It was ascertained, previously to the operation, that some of the muscles of the back were connected with the tumour ; and it was found also that part of the pectoral, part of the latissimus dorsi, and some of the inferior muscles of the shoulder-blade, were firmly adhering to its upper surface, and, what was very remarkable, part of the fibres of the latissimus dorsi were condensed into a sort of ligamentous band, about the size of a man’s finger, which passed directly through the body of the cyst.  The tumour had also extended itself full three inches underneath the shoulder-blade, adhering there, and to the aponeurotic expansion of the back, and throughout the whole inferior surface of the sac, with a firmness equal to a ligament, rendering the operation at once tedious, difficult, and terrible : but all obstacles were surmounted, and we are happy to state the patient is now in a fair way to do well.”

Stamford Mercury, 5th June 1818.

Social care for paupers provided by some villages in Rutland was championed by some as a paradigm to be copied throughout the country, not least because of the savings in poor relief it afforded.  Yet not all were of this opinion; the New Poor Law, characterised by the Union workhouse and the abolition of outdoor relief, was just around the corner.

“PAUPERISM.–In an able article in the new number of the Quarterly Review, on the “condition of the English Peasantry,” it is recommended as the most efficient means of preventing pauperism, to attach 2 or 3 acres of land to each poor man’s cottage, to fill up the whole of his spare time and employ his children, which by being cultivated under spade husbandry would yield abundant means of keeping a cow, pigs, and poultry, besides garden-stuff, sufficient with the produce of his daily labour to prevent the necessity of application for parochial relief.  Instances are adduced to exhibit the benefits of this system, in villages where it has always been in operation, (which villages are all in the county of Rutland, viz. Hambleton, Egleton, Greetham, and Burley on the Hill,) the average of the poor-rates of which parishes is only 9d. in the pound-rent, whilst at four other parishes where no employment is afforded to the labourers beyond their mere earnings, the rates average 10s. 3d. in the pound.–The whole of the article merits the attention of magistrates and agriculturists.”

Stamford Mercury, 24th July 1829.

When women were not financially independent, husbands were much sought after and married women were envied.  This is another example of an article quickly becoming an advertisement.

” ‘USBANDS, MA’AM.”

A lady who has recently taken charge of a Sunday Bible-class for servants in the West End of London gives an amusing instance of questioning on the lesson.

She had chosen the subject of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and observed :

‘Yes, Hope and Charity are grand things.  But what is the first thing we all need to make us happy ?’

There was a pause, when one of the girls said :–‘ ‘Usbands, Ma’am !’

Well, the girl was right so far.  No doubt she thought she wouldn’t be happy until she got a ‘usband.  She might not be happy then, for some husbands are not worth cutting up for mops, and richly deserve a holy thrashing.  Certainly good health is essential to Happiness, and good Health is secured by taking Page Woodcock’s Wind Pills, which, for the cure of Indigestion, Wind on the Stomach, Liver Complaints, Sick Headache, Costiveness, Nervous Debility, Palpitation of the Heart, Biliousness, &c., are invaluable.

Mrs. Martha Vickers, Langworth, Lincoln, writes :– ‘For several months I suffered severely from Indigestion and Liver Complaint, accompanied by extreme Nervous Debility.  For a long while I dared not eat solid food, but had recourse to bread and biscuit sop.  My Doctor failed to give any relief.  I was advised to try your Wind Pills.  The results were well nigh miraculous.  The pains have left me, I can eat any kind of food, and enjoy the best of health.’

Mr H. J. Whitehead, Eagle, Newark, states :– ‘So popular have your famous Wind Pills become that we seldom sell any other kind.  This speaks well for their great curative properties, as a remedy for Indigestion, Biliousness, &c.’  Mr. Whitehead has not been paid to say this.–P.W.

All Medicine Vendors at 1s. 1 1/2d., 2s. 6d., and 4s. 6d., post free for price from Page Woodcock, Lincoln.”

Stamford Mercury, 7th February 1902

The fascination with the aches, pains and other “ailments peculiar to ladies” provided an income for many.  At this time almost any behaviour a woman demonstrated could be construed as hysteria.  This article advocates that women cure themselves by administering “harmless” and “very pleasant” electric shocks.

“A NEW MEDICAL WORK FOR LADIES ONLY.

It is well that ladies should know something about the various ailments peculiar to their sex, and we, therefore, strongly recommend them to send at once for a copy of Mr. Harness’ new medical work on “The Rational Electropathic Treatment of the Diseases of Women,” and read every line of it very carefully.  They will then know how to speedily cure themselves without physic, and effectually avoid the many distressing symptoms of internal weakness, hysteria, functional irregularities, weak back, &c.

Electricity–as imperceptibly applied to the system by the aid of Mr. Harness’ beautifully-designed and scientifically-constructed Electropathic Belt Appliances–is not only a perfectly harmless remedy, but is also a very pleasant and sure one, which is strongly recommended by the most eminent authorities, including Dr. Anna Kingsford, M.D.  A copy of this interesting brochure will be sent (under cover) to any address, free by post, on application to the Lady Superintendent, the Electropathic and Zander Institute, 52 Oxford-street, London, W.”

Stamford Mercury, 7th July 1893

The Rose Noble, generally regarded as the first English gold coin to be produced in quantity, was 33mm in diameter (roughly the size of an old half-crown) and valued at the time of minting at 6 shillings and 8 pence (6/8) which is equivalent in today’s money to about 33p.  NB: the ploughman didn’t keep the coin.

“A labourer ploughing last week on a farm in the East Fen, near Boston, turned up with the ploughshare a  piece of shining metal, which, on minute examination, turns out to be a gold Rose Noble of the reign of Edward III.  The coin is in a beautiful state of perfection, the inscription and device being perfectly legible.  Antiquarians will know how to properly appreciate this coin : the Rose Nobles were indisputably the first gold coins of England, and they are as beautiful as they are rare.  Even in the time of Rapin these coins were so scarce, that he speaks of them as being rarely met with ; and at the present day, they are sought for with avidity by the curious in these matters.  The finding of this coin may be adduced as another proof that this district of Lincolnshire was at an early period in a state of high cultivation, although civil wars which racked the country generally, caused this part to be neglected, and ruin ensued.  The coin is now in the possession of Mr. Porter, bookseller, of Boston.–Another valuable antique was found in the same vicinity a few weeks ago.  It is a large silver ring,–the characters are nearly obliterated, but from the faint remains, and the peculiar shape of the ring, it is believed to be what was termed a signet ring, used by noblemen and other official personages as a token of authority, or covenant.  It is now in the possession of Mr. Elsam, ironmonger, of Boston.”

Stamford Mercury, 17th July 1829.